


Seasons of Love

by nanny_doesit



Series: The Family Verse [2]
Category: Glee
Genre: Canon Divergence, Childbirth, Future Fic, Kid Fic, M/M, Miscarriage, Original Character(s), Surrogacy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-04-15
Updated: 2015-06-17
Packaged: 2018-03-23 03:03:39
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 11
Words: 81,882
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3752038
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nanny_doesit/pseuds/nanny_doesit
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Life is made up of seasons. Some seasons are filled with joy, while others try us in ways we never thought possible. This is the story of Kurt and Blaine, with their amazing friend Mel, making the decision to expand their family, dealing with loss, and learning how to heal together.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Here it is! The first chapter in part 2 of my Family Verse series. Thank you so, so much for all of the comments and love everyone has left on Part 1, it really was the driving force to make me finish and start posting part 2. Before we get started I did want to say, I added the canon divergence warning because obviously we move away from how the show tells us our boys’ futures are headed. I love the way the show ended, but this story has been in my head for so long and I've fallen so in love with Mel...so while it’s not exactly AU, we do diverge from canon. Also, heed the warnings...and if anything makes you uncomfortable, message me and we can talk it out<3.

The transition from having a toddler to a pre-schooler seemed much easier than either Kurt or Blaine had expected, and it seemed to happen overnight. Although potty training was hard and disgusting at times -- _although really Blaine, it has to be better than changing diapers 5-7 times a day_ \--they both felt like they woke up one day and Sophie was sleeping the entire night in her toddler bed, talking in full sentences and the search for the perfect preschool began.

It was hard and taxing time for all of them that required a lot of hard work, balance, and compromise--but hindsight is often 20/20 and through the eyes of a parent, the time flew. Sophie was a thriving little girl. She had opinions and likes and dislikes just like any other child. She was stubborn like her Papa, kind like her Daddy, and always had one hand in an art project like her Aunt Mel, whom she was extremely close to. All three of them agreed that she was the best parts of all three of them.

“Papa, I have to go potty!” Sophie called on a Saturday morning in June as Kurt leaned down in the hallway packing her bag.

He looked up with a sigh. “Blaine!” he called. “Can you help Sophie? My hands are kinda full.”

Blaine walked in from the kitchen, handing Kurt two full lidded cups to pack.

“Yeah. Come on, baby,” Blaine called, holding out his hand for Sophie. “We have to be quick though, okay…cause we need to meet Aunt Mel in twenty minutes.”

“Yep,” Sophie sang as she stood up from her crayons and let her dad lead her to the bathroom.

Kurt zipped up the bag and set it on the table, before squatting down to put away Sophie’s sketch book and crayons and other toys strewn on the floor of the loft.

In the bathroom, Blaine helped Sophie adjust her shorts, wash her hands, then picked her up and kissed her neck.

“Daaad!” Sophie chastised as Blaine carried her into the living room. 

“Mmmm, I’m hungry and my favorite meal is little girl!” Blaine nibbled on Sophie’s neck as they walked into the main area of the loft and Sophie giggled helplessly.

Kurt smiled as he tossed the strap of the bag over his shoulder and picked up her [jacket](https://www.pinterest.com/pin/324399979382003304/) in case she needed it later.

“Come on, sillies,” Kurt said as he tucked a lock of hair back into [Sophie’s](https://www.pinterest.com/pin/324399979382003180/) bun and kissed Blaine’s cheek. “We need to get moving or we’re gonna be late.”

******

Mel smiled and thanked the hostess as she led her and her new boyfriend Luke to a table toward the back of the restaurant her and the guys had agreed on that morning. She took the menu with a quiet thank you and grinned at Luke’s scrunched face. 

“So…should I be worried?” he asked.

“Not at all,” she assured him, shaking her head. “I just want you to meet them, no pressure.”

Luke didn’t look so sure.

“I feel like I’m meeting the parents for an approval,” he confessed, shifting uncomfortably in his chair and tugging at the collar of his shirt.

“Well,” Mel agreed, opening her menu. “Kurt and Blaine and Sophie are my family.”

“Yeah…I know,” Luke agreed, smoothing down his shirt.

“Oh,” Mel said suddenly, sitting up when she saw Kurt, Blaine, and Sophie walking through the door of the restaurant. “Here they are.” 

Luke stood awkwardly as two very good looking men walked up to their table, both smiling. The shorter of the two men was holding a smiling bundle of curls. 

“Hi, honey!” the taller of the two enveloped Mel in a hug.

“Hi, Kurt,” she cried, happily returning the hug. “Ohh, I’ve missed you guys!”

“We missed you too!” Blaine agreed, holding out his arm for Mel.

“Auntie Mel!” Sophie called, clapping her hands and leaning over for Mel to take her from Blaine.

“Hi sweetie!” Mel cooed, pulling Sophie into her arms and kissing her cheek. “Oh my goodness you have gotten so big!”

“I wear big girl panties all the time now!” Sophie announced proudly. Kurt covered his face with his hand and Blaine laughed out loud.

“She’s been telling everyone that lately,” Blaine confessed.

“I know, honey.” Mel nodded with a giggle. “You were doing that before I left, I’ve only been gone a month, but I’m very proud of you still.”

Kurt dropped the bag onto the back of Blaine’s chair with another grin. Mel kissed Sophie again as she seemed to remember to introduce her closest friends to the new man in her life.

“Oh, guys,” Mel grinned, shifting Sophie on her hip. “This is Luke…my main squeeze.”

Luke held his hand out, praying it wasn’t as sweaty as he felt.

“And Luke, this is Kurt and Blaine.” Mel introduced, pointing to the two men respectively. The three men shook hands, Kurt and Blaine both smiling warmly. “And this little pistol is Sophia,” Mel patted Sophie on her tummy as Soph smiled brightly and waved.

“I’ve heard a lot about all three of you,” Luke said, smiling at Sophie.

“Likewise,” Kurt smirked. Blaine nudged him with a chuckle and they sat down.

They spent lunch laughing, Mel talking about the book tour she’d just finished, Sophie demanding her attention. Kurt was describing his new line and Blaine talked his current show, and about how it was easier for him to get into college than getting Sophie into a good preschool.

“I’m serious…I don’t think either Kurt or I had as much paperwork for NYADA as we have filled out for her.” Blaine groaned and Kurt nodded.

“It is unreal, we were denied twice before we found the Preschool program we’ve decided on,” Kurt whispered, but Soph was happily distracted coloring and munching on some of the goldfish crackers Kurt had given her.

“Ouch,” Mel winced, sitting back in her chair.

Luke stayed pretty quiet through lunch, content to sit and listen to his girlfriend reconnect with her friends after a month on the road. After about an hour however, Luke needed to get back to work. He gave Mel a kiss, shook Blaine and Kurt’s hands again, and waved to Sophie before heading out.

“So, he’s cute,” Kurt grinned, stealing a snap pea from Blaine’s plate.

Mel crossed her arms and leaned back in her chair as she smiled and nodded. 

“How did you guys meet, again?” Blaine asked, slapping his husband’s hand away from his plate.

“He’s my editor Leah’s brother.” Mel answered, picking up one of the crayons that had rolled out of Sophie’s reach. “He was visiting when we were in Pittsburgh and Leah set us up.”

“Aww, how sweet,” Kurt sang, picking up his water to take a sip.

“Shut up, jerk!” Mel laughed and Kurt winked.

“Seriously honey,” Blaine promised, nudging Kurt again. “We’re really happy for you.”

“Thank you,” Mel said winking at Blaine. “I’m really happy too.”

Kurt, who had been leaning over Sophie to whisper if she had to go to the bathroom, straightened back up and smiled to his friend.

“That’s all that matters, he seems nice,” he finished as he motioned for Blaine to hand him the bag and stood to pick Sophie up. “I’m gonna take her, no gossiping til I get back!” he warned, setting Sophie on her feet and taking her hand, leading her toward the bathroom.

Mel nodded solemnly and turned to Blaine.

“I can’t believe I never thought to ask this,” she started, twirling the straw in her water glass. “But how do you guys deal with the whole ‘bathroom in public’ thing?”

Blaine looked at her blankly for a moment, before understanding washed over him and he laughed.

“Most places we go have either a family bathroom, or a one person kind of set up,” he shrugged and smiled before continuing. “And if not, we just call ‘Dad with his daughter?’ and head into the women’s bathroom. Most times it’s okay.” 

“Most times?” Mel asked.

“Yeah, I mean sometimes we get the ‘Hang on just a sec’, but for the most part it really isn’t an issue.”

Mel nodded quietly and their conversation flowed on simply from there. Blaine started talking about his current show and how much longer his run was scheduled to be. A few minutes later, Kurt walked back to their table with a sleepy girl in his arms.

“Here baby,” he cooed, passing her over into Blaine’s arms with her blue [alphabet](https://www.pinterest.com/pin/324399979385831848/) blanket. “Sit with Daddy and your blanket and take a little nap while we have coffee.”

Sophie nodded as she buried her cheek against Blaine’s neck and held her blanket up to her chin. Blaine kissed the top of her head and rubbed her back soothingly until she started to drift off against him.

Mel looked on, a warm smile filling her face, as Kurt called the waitress over, ordered coffee for all three of them and a cheesecake sampler plate to share.

“Nap time?” she asked quietly.

Kurt looked over at Blaine’s watch and shrugged.

“A little early, but we got up pretty early to go to the Green Market this morning, so she’s a little tired from all the running around,” he told her, looking over at Sophie and nodding to Blaine that she was out.

Blaine shifted her more comfortably against his chest and picked up his water glass to take a sip.

“So,” Mel started, waggling her eyebrows just a touch at them. “Soph is gonna be three this year, have you guys thought any about that second baby?” she asked. 

Kurt and Blaine looked at each other, seeming to have one of those silent conversations they were so famous for. 

“We’ve talked about it a little,” Blaine started, looking back at Mel.

“Talked about it in a positive way, or in a ‘Oh god, never again.’ kind of a way?” Mel asked. “Because in the beginning, you always said you, Kurt especially, didn't want her to grow up as an only child. That it was really important that she wasn't.” 

They were quiet again for a few moments.

“We honestly weren't sure if you would want to do it all again?” Kurt finally sighed. “We know it wasn't exactly fun for you--especially those first few weeks after she was born...” he trailed off. 

Mel looked down at her hands in her lap with a small careful smile. “Caught that, did you?”

“We would never hold you to something you said in an abstract way three and a half years ago,” Blaine assured her. “A lot has changed since the day we asked you to be our surrogate.” 

Mel sighed as she looked up. “That’s true.” 

“Mel, honey...” Kurt started as he reached across the table for her hand. “We wish you had told us what you were dealing with at the time...but we understand, we really do. And now that you’re with Luke, we completely understand if it’s not...if the plans have changed, we promise we do.”

Blaine nodded next to him and smiled at his friend. Mel chuckled a little before answering.

“Well, I don’t know if it’s just because I’m on this side of it, or if I’ve lost my mind completely--but aspects of being pregnant don’t sound as horrible to me as before. I’ve actually been thinking about it a lot lately,” she admitted. “I know I...” she sighed as she took a sip of water and composed herself a little. “I know I was a little...caught off guard with the way I felt after she was born.” 

She finally looked up again and both men were nodding. 

“And trying to hide it from you, well not only did it not work, apparently,” she paused and returned both of their grins. “Probably wasn't the best idea, but even if it took me awhile to really get used to my emotions, I think I was finally fully convinced I did the right thing when this little monster hit the six month mark and didn't stop screaming for two weeks.” 

Blaine laughed and Kurt rolled his eyes with a groan and nodded.

Mel laughed, “I still don’t know how you guys got through those two weeks, I really don’t.”

“Earplugs,” Blaine told her simply. “Even with them in, we could still hear her perfectly. And we both cried--a lot.” 

“Look,” Mel started after she had finished giggling at both of them. “You two are my best friends, you know me better than probably anyone.”

Kurt smiled and reached across the table to take her hand again.

“I still,” she shrugged. “I still don’t want kids, I never have. But having Sophie was one of the best things I’ve ever done. As hard as it was...I’d do it all again, if I had to.” 

Blaine bit his lip as he rubbed his hand down Sophie’s back and kissed her temple. 

“And, Luke is Leah's brother...he knew something about our situation before Leah even introduced us...Luke and I have talked about it a little,” she assured them. “He doesn't want kids either, and he knows that I’m Sophie’s ‘mother’ in the biological sense, and that I gave birth to her. The probability of a second baby being on the table is something we’ve talked about as well, and it doesn't seem to freak him out. So don’t worry about that aspect of it. If you guys decide this is something you want, he and I will talk seriously about it...but I would never be with someone who disagreed with something that was this important to me.” 

Kurt nodded as he looked over at Blaine again. 

Mel laughed and held up her hands. “Look, it’s not a decision you need to make right now over lunch,” she promised. “I was just putting some feelers out there, testing the waters to see where we were.” 

Blaine nodded as Sophie shifted against his chest and he kissed the top of her head. “We’ve always known that we wanted her to have a sibling...the timing is what has always been up in the air.” 

“Can we give you a strong maybe, and let you know for sure soon?” Kurt asked, leaning back as the waitress dropped off their coffee and dessert. 

Mel nodded and gave them a reassuring smile. 

“Of course. Let me know when you've decided, and what you've decided. Just know that I’m on board. That is, as far as the next few years are concerned,” she laughed. “Once I hit thirty, this baby bakery is closed for business.” 

******

That night, after dinner and after Blaine had left for work, Kurt put a very sleepy Sophie to bed. After the long lunch, the three of them had taken her to the park. She’d had a blast, but it had cut her nap in half. She’d been a crabby mess the rest of the night and was ready and willing to climb into her bed that night. 

She was fast asleep before Kurt could even finish her first book and didn't stir once after Kurt rocked her and tucked her into the toddler bed they’d started using earlier in the summer. 

After the dishes were done and the loft was picked up and straightened, Kurt pulled out his computer at the table in the dining room. He was spending most of the next week in his studio, working on his own. He needed to get everything for Rage done before Monday. 

The online magazine had really taken off in the two years since its original publication, even had a small print local circulation and there were talks of broadening the circulation to the west coast. It would always be primarily online, but it was growing well and was something that both Isabelle and Kurt were immensely proud of. They were a good team and worked well together. 

As the night wore on, Kurt did less and less work. He stared at his books, flipped through the pages of the mock-up for the next month, and looked over all the shoot layouts without really seeing anything. 

He looked up in surprise when he heard the door open and someone walking down the hall. 

“Hey,” Blaine called brightly, setting his bag on the piano bench. “I figured you’d be in bed,” he finished, walking over to meet his lips against his husband’s in hello. 

Kurt looked down at the clock on his computer and shrugged. “It’s not that late. I was trying to get some work done.” 

Blaine nodded as he walked into the kitchen. He grabbed a bottle of water from the fridge and walked back over to the table. 

“I thought you were gonna grab a late bite after the show?” Kurt asked, finally giving up on getting anything done and closing his laptop. 

Blaine shrugged, sitting down next to Kurt and taking a sip of water. “Eh, I wasn't all that hungry.”

Kurt looked over at him and smirked. “Somethin’ else on your mind?” he asked. 

Blaine shrugged again and gave him a small smile.

“Me too.” Kurt sighed. 

A few quiet moments passed before Kurt rubbed his hands down his face and shook his head. “Are we crazy?” he mumbled through his fingers. “We are finally getting more than three consecutive hours of sleep a night. Sophie is completely potty trained and starting school full time this fall. I’m showing a line again this spring, and you are in a show that you really love and are really passionate about.” 

Blaine shook his head. “I know...” he trailed off, Kurt reaching over to take his hand. “But all I can think about is how fast Sophie is growing up, how much I miss counting her tiny little toes and how she felt sleeping on my chest.” 

“But...diapers, and disgusting smelling formula,” Kurt interjected. 

“The first time she smiled, or came up with ‘Ba’ all on her own,” Blaine dreamed. 

“Spit up in your hair.” 

“When she would stop crying as soon as she knew it was you holding her.” 

“Screaming at 2:00 a.m. when you have an 8:00 a.m. call.” 

“When you were feeding her a bottle and she would grab your finger so tight and you would wonder where all that strength came from.” 

Kurt leaned back in his chair and laughed. “Yeah...that was pretty great.” 

“I remember I read this thing,” Blaine started, clearing his throat. “That said that when a woman has the desire to get pregnant again, she should ask herself if she would be willing to adopt. If she wouldn't, then it’s a biological thing and not an actual desire to have another child.”

Kurt looked over and squeezed Blaine’s hand in his. “You would adopt.” 

Blaine looked over, the corners of his mouth turned up in a wistful smile. “I really would,” he agreed. “We always wanted Sophie to have a sibling, and I didn't want them too far in age. Yes it will be hard and yes, it’s doing everything all over again...only this time even more because we will have a whole other kid running around who needs to be taken care of and loved just as much...”

“But,” Kurt prompted. 

“But, I still wanna do it. I think we’re ready.” 

Kurt shook his head and stood up, he walked over so he could wrap his arms around Blaine’s shoulders from behind and kissed his cheek. Blaine hummed out a small laugh and leaned into the hug, letting the scent of Kurt wash over him. 

“I’m in, but only if you’re in with me. If you really don’t want to right now, I understand. We can give it some more time,” Blaine promised, his voice soft and unassuming. 

Kurt kissed Blaine’s cheek one more time before straightening up and turning so he was sitting on the table in front of him. He took one of Blaine’s hands again and grinned. 

******

Kurt looked up and waved when he spotted Mel walk in the cafe a few days later. 

“Hiya handsome,” she laughed, leaning over to kiss his cheek as she dropped her bag on the back of the chair and sat down. “Seeing you twice in one week? I must really be home.”

Kurt winked at her as a waitress walked over. Mel ordered a cafe au lait and a piece of flour-less chocolate cake before settling in her chair and crossing her legs. 

“So,” she began after Kurt had ordered his soy latte and slice of cheesecake. “To what do I owe you fitting me into the break in your day?” 

Kurt laughed and shrugged as he closed his laptop and pushed it to the side of the table to give his friend his complete attention. “Just...felt like a talk with my best friend.” 

Mel set down her glass after taking a sip of water and wiped her mouth. “Aw, I’m your best friend?” 

Kurt eyed her critically. “Don’t fish, Melissa Grace,” he paused as Mel held up her hands and laughed. “You, Blaine, and Rachel sit at the very top...I promise.” 

Mel winked at him and tucked a strand of her long brown hair behind her ear. “Right backatcha.” 

Kurt shook his head and laughed. “Man, sometimes I think about...” he shook his head again as Mel nudged him under the table. 

“I mean,” he started again, leaning back as their coffee and dessert was set in front of them and Mel thanked their waitress. “If you had told 16 year old Kurt, that ten plus years down the road, Rachel Berry would be included in the people he loved most in the world...he probably would have bitch-slapped you.” 

Mel cracked up as she set her mug of coffee down and wiped her mouth. “You guys weren't always close?” 

Kurt sighed out a laugh. “Oh god, no. We’d gone to school together since we were kids...but no. Rachel was a very... _intense_ child. We didn't officially meet until high school and even then...” 

Mel laughed as she offered Kurt a bite of her cake. “Kurt,” she chastised. “I can’t imagine you being much different as a child.” 

Kurt lifted one shoulder in acceptance and nodded. “True. In fact, we were actually enemies for a long time before we started to get close. It took a while for us to figure out how similar we were and are...and then how we could work that into a friendship.”

Mel nodded and reached her fork over. Kurt pretended to pull his plate away, but allowed her to get the bite of his cheesecake as she had let him take one of her chocolate cake. Mel winked at him over the rim of her coffee mug. 

“So...” Kurt sighed, setting his fork down and taking a sip of his latte. “Blaine and I talked the other night.”

“Oh yeah?”

Kurt nodded and took a deep breath. “He and I are still--hashing things out, deciding if and when and...everything else,” he paused again as Mel nodded and set her own fork down. “But, I was thinking that you and I needed to have a talk first.”

“Uh oh,” Mel laughed nervously. “I feel like I just got sent to the principal's office.” 

Kurt chuckled as he shook his head and reached his hand over to squeeze hers on the table. “No,” he assured her. “But...I feel like...”

Mel eyed him carefully. “What’s up, Kurt?” 

Kurt paused just for a moment because he’d been thinking about this conversation for two days, and now his words were getting all jumbled up in his head. He didn't want to hurt his friend, but this was something they needed to talk about. 

“Look, I know we kind of...touched on this, the other day.” Mel’s eyes immediately dropped to her lap. “But before we go any further...I need to know you will be okay, we need to know that you will be okay. 

“I just...” he paused again, biting his lip. “You are way too important to us, and we were so worried about you. But we didn't know how far to push you, or if we should push you at all.”

“Oh Kurt,” she started, reaching her hand across the table to grasp his. 

“Mel, we knew how upset you were...but we had no idea how to approach you, or even if we should.” 

“I’m sorry I scared you,” she said, holding his hand tightly. “But I was so...” she paused again before taking a breath and continuing. “I was so caught off guard with how I ended up feeling. Everyone kept telling me, ‘be careful’ and ‘prepare yourself’...but I didn't listen, and just kept going on with my everyday life like something major wasn't about to happen, like my life wasn't about to change just as much as yours and Blaine’s was. 

“It would have been a great time to still have a mother,” she added with just a hint of bitterness that Kurt understood better than most. 

He nodded, sniffing and pursing his lips together. 

“And then, she was born and I was smacked upside my head with how I felt, and...it took me a while to really get a handle on how I needed to move on from there. Hiding it from you guys, it just felt like the right thing to do. I felt like--I didn't want to worry you unnecessarily,” she paused and smiled. “My efforts were obviously futile as you knew the whole time.” 

Kurt sighed. “Then, why? If it was so hard, why do you want to do it all again? Why put yourself through it all again?”

Mel smiled. “Because...” she paused. “She is still one of the best things I ever did. When I think back on the greatest moments of my life, the first comic I had printed in a newspaper, all those silly stories I wrote and drew to make my mom laugh when the chemo was draining her, the byline of my first book...” she trailed off again as Kurt wiped the single tear that had leaked from his eye. 

“When I think about all those things, Sophie sits right up there with all of them as one of the greatest moments of my life.”

Kurt nodded and patted his chest. “Mine too.” 

“Carrying her, and giving birth to her, and then watching two people I loved so much be so happy? I meant what I said the other day, I would do it all over again if I had to, even not knowing what I know now. But this time, I’ll be better prepared for how I’ll feel and how I’ll deal when the time comes. I’m even more confident about that now.” 

Kurt nodded as he took a breath. “You have to know, you are our family. And you always will be, whether or not we do this again.”

Mel nodded as she swiped her free hand under her eye and smiled. “Of course I know that, all three of you are my family, too.” 

Kurt eyed her carefully before he started speaking again. “But you have to promise me, you have to promise us, that you won’t shut us out again.”

Mel huffed out a watery laugh. 

“Like, distance is fine. If we do this again and you need the space and distance to deal with the enormity of the situation, we completely understand that, and will give you all the time you need--as long as you are honest with us.” 

Mel nodded as she squeezed Kurt’s hand in hers. “I promise to be honest, if you promise to take me at my word.” 

Kurt shook his head and grinned. “Deal.”


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Life is made up of seasons. Some seasons are filled with joy, while others try us in ways we never thought possible. This is the story of Kurt and Blaine, with their amazing friend Mel, making the decision to expand their family, dealing with loss, and learning how to heal together.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Probably the longest chapter yet! The song Kurt and Blaine sing in this chapter, “Then you may take me to the Fair” is from the Broadway show Camelot, by Lerner and Loewe. I also wanted to remind you of the warnings. This is the chapter with the miscarriage, if that is too hard to read I totally understand<3\. Message me and I’ll tell you what happens so you’ll be caught up.

The second time Mel took the test, they were together. 

She came walking in from the bathroom, her eyes down and looking at the stick she was carrying. 

“Well?” Kurt asked as Blaine walked around the corner from their dining room with Sophie on his hip. 

Once she had walked down the hallway and into the kitchen where they were both standing...she looked up with a smile. 

Kurt laughed and twirled her around in a hug. 

“Really?” Blaine yelled as the three of them sandwiched Sophie in the middle of their group hug. 

Sophie wiggled to get down, then jumped around the loft clapping her hands, completely oblivious to what they were celebrating. Blaine pulled Kurt into a kiss as they laughed and hugged again. 

Fall-October

Kate pushed end on her cell and set it down carefully on the counter. She took a deep breath, looking over to where Sophie was happily using her watercolors at her art table in the corner. 

“Hey, sweets,” she called, smiling when Sophie looked up at her. “Can you come here a second?”

Sophie set her brush down and skipped over to her nanny. 

Kate smiled, leaning down to pull Sophie up and settle her on her hip. “That was your Papa, something came up...and your daddies probably won’t be home for a while,” she explained. 

Sophie frowned, but nodded her head. 

“How about we make some bunny mac-n-cheese and watch cartoons before bathtime?” 

The lines of her face relaxed as she grinned. “Yep!” she agreed. “And juice?” 

Kate gave her a watery laugh, held her against her chest for a moment and nodded. “Yes, you can have some juice.” 

“Daddies be home before goodnights?” Sophie asked hopefully. 

Kate bit her lip. She had no idea when Kurt and Blaine would be home, but was pretty sure it wouldn't be until after Soph needed to be in bed. 

“I don’t think so, honey,” Kate told her. “But I’ll sing you all your songs and tuck you in, then when daddies get home they’ll come and say goodnight, okay?” 

Sophie pouted again, but nodded her acceptance. 

Kate pulled her in for another hug, before letting her down to start the water for her dinner. After a few moments, Sophie looked up and hugged Kate’s legs. 

“Katie sad?” she asked, her eyes wide. 

Kate looked down and smiled. There was only one person on this planet allowed to call her Katie, and that little person needed a hug. She smiled, picking up the small girl once more. 

“Yeah, Katie is a little sad...but Sophie hugs make everything better.” 

Sophie wrapped her arms around Kate’s shoulders, placing a wet smacking kiss to her cheek. “All better?” 

Kate laughed and hugged her tight once more, before setting her back on her feet to go back to her art project. 

“All better,” she agreed. 

November

Kurt’s eyes opened with a jolt. He sighed and brought his hand up to rub down his face a few times. Waking up in his old room at his parents’ house would never not be jarring at first. He could feel the warm weight of his husband next to him, the house quiet, his heart heavy in his chest as he listened to Blaine breathe in and out. He rolled his head on the pillow and stared at the baby monitor next to his side of the bed, telling him that Sophie seemed to be still fast asleep in her room as well. 

Burt and Carole had transformed Finn’s old room into a room for Sophie when she was still a baby. Kurt had insisted that it wasn't necessary, that Carole should keep his room like it was for as long as she needed to, Sophie would be fine sleeping with them. Carole had been adamant about it though, had insisted that Finn would be annoyed with her for keeping it this long, especially once Sophie needed a space of her own in their family’s home. 

“I think he’d be proud to turn it over to her and any other little grandbabies that may come along,” Carole had told him with a fond smile the day she showed Kurt the finished product. Green walls, two handmade wooden toy boxes, a big day bed with a trundle bed attached, and Carole’s antique rocking chair. 

Kurt closed his eyes tightly when he thought about that day, a single tear leaking from his eye as he laid there in the quiet, early hour. All of the sudden he felt the bed shift as Blaine turned over and blinked open his eyes, finally focusing enough to give Kurt a small sad smile. 

“Hey,” he whispered, his voice scratchy with sleep. 

“Hi.” 

Blaine closed his eyes and stretched, his back popping as he sighed and settled back down in the bed. He reached over and rested his hand on Kurt’s chest, over his heart. “How’d you sleep?” 

Kurt nodded and turned so he was on his side, facing Blaine. He reached up and tangled his fingers with Blaine’s as they continued to lie together quietly, staring at one another. 

Kurt hadn't even noticed the tears still dripping from his eyes until Blaine reached over and carefully thumbed one away. He had just opened his mouth to say something, when their door creaked open and little footsteps padded across the room. Their blanket moved as Sophie peeked her little head over the edge of the bed, her brown hair wild all over her head, and smiled when she saw they were awake. 

“Hi daddies,” she piped up, struggling to pull herself up on the bed. Blaine gave his husband a small smile before taking pity on their daughter and sitting up to help her while Kurt hastily wiped his eyes and took a deep breath. 

“Good morning, honey,” Kurt sang softly, pushing away his early morning sadness and smiling as Blaine plopped her down in between them and she snuggled into his chest. “How did you sleep?”

“Gooood.” 

Blaine laughed and kissed the back of her head. “How about you and me go downstairs and make everyone some breakfast, hmm? Give Grammy and Papa a break before we go to the farm later today.” 

Sophie nodded, but cuddled a little closer into Kurt’s arms, yawning and playing with the buttons on his pajama shirt. 

Kurt chuckled and kissed the top of her head before looking over at Blaine. “Or we could all just lie here for a little while, spend some time with just the three of us before the day gets started?”

Blaine nodded as he laid back on his arm and closed his eyes. Kurt started humming something under his breath as he rubbed his hand up and down Sophie’s back, listening to the sounds of the rest of the house waking up.

******

Kurt stared out the kitchen window as he waited for the kettle he had just put on to boil. 

The afternoon had been whirlwind of activity. Burt and Carole had a tradition of driving out to a friend's tree farm every year on the Saturday after Thanksgiving and chopping down their Christmas Tree, then dressing the house to the nines with holiday cheer. This was the first year Sophie was old enough to go and actively participate. Kurt had dressed her warmly after breakfast and they all piled into Burt’s five passenger truck for the 60 minute drive. 

Once they arrived at the farm, they took a hay-filled tractor ride out to the forest area of the property. Once Sophie and Kurt found the perfect tree, Burt and Blaine set about chopping it down, finally giving in to Kurt’s instruction on how to hold the hatchet correctly and letting him do it. Sophie “helped” Burt tie the tree down in the bed of the truck, finally being coaxed away by Carole with the promise of hot chocolate in front of the bonfire her friend Joe had built for them. 

“Why I bought her a white coat I’ll never know,” Kurt murmured to Blaine as [Sophie](https://www.pinterest.com/pin/324399979383778974/) dribbled chocolate down the front of her where she had already gotten a fair amount of tree sap. “Will I never learn?” 

Blaine just smiled at their daughter’s laughing face as she accepted another cup from Burt and cuddled closer in his lap. “Eh, it’s washable...I’ll treat it when we get back to the house.” 

Once they made it home, Carole pulled out the tubs and tubs of Christmas decorations she had taken from the attic that morning. Sophie sat on the floor of the living room with Burt as they went through each one while Blaine and Kurt wrangled the tree into the stand, and the stand in the exact position Carole instructed. 

Kurt was jarred from the memories of the day as the kettle began to whistle. He pulled two mugs from the cabinet and held the tea bags as he poured hot water over them. He walked the cups back into the living room and had to smile when he saw what greeted him. Sophie was fast asleep on Carole’s lap....and she had been wide awake when he’d left the room not five minutes before. 

Carole looked over at him with a grin as she rubbed her hand down Sophie’s back. “She just climbed right up, announced she was tired and laid down. I think she was asleep after about thirty seconds.” 

He nodded and set the tea he had made for Carole on the table before sitting next to her on the couch. “Yeah, she does that,” he told her, blowing on his tea and taking a sip. “It’s probably our fault, we let her sleep in our laps so often, she’s just used to it. I can take her if you want?”

She shook her head and kissed Sophie’s. “Nah, gotta soak up some snuggles before you three leave tomorrow.” 

Kurt nodded as he took another sip from his mug and sighed. He reached over to tuck a strand of hair behind Sophie’s ear and rubbed his knuckle down her cheek. She opened her eyes, smiled at him, then fell right back to sleep, cuddling even closer against Carole as she drifted.

“You okay, honey?” Carole’s voice broke his thoughts and he looked up. He gave her a noncommittal shrug and turned his head to stare at the nearly finished tree. “You know you don’t have to be,” she started again.

Kurt shook his head and sighed, letting another few minutes go by with only the sound of his parents’ CD of The Trans-Siberian Orchestra playing from the stereo in the corner filling the room. 

“It’s just...” he started before biting his lip and shrugging again. “I don’t even know. It’s just everything, I guess.” He pinched the top of his mug and closed his eyes, finally reaching over and setting his tea on the coffee table in front of them. “Sometimes I don’t even know what...I don’t know what to feel, I suppose.” 

Carole nodded and inclined her head. “I think that’s normal, honey. You guys just went through a loss, there is no right or wrong way to handle the things you are feeling, whatever they are. Even if it’s still confusion at this point.” 

Kurt sighed as he sat back and crossed his legs. “I feel like...” he stopped again and looked to make sure Sophie was really asleep. Carole looked down and nodded to him, rubbing her hand down the little girl’s back gently and smiling at him to keep talking. “I feel like people expect us to just be over it,” he finally admitted to her. “Like it wasn’t that big of a deal...like we should just move on with our day to day lives like nothing has changed...like none of it matters.” 

“Oh honey,” Carole started, reaching over to squeeze his shoulder as he dropped his head to look at his hands. “It absolutely matters. It matters because _you_ say it matters. And no one else gets an opinion about that, ever.”

“Everyone keeps telling us, ‘It’ll get better, it’ll get easier, just give it time...'" He paused again before shaking his head. “I’m so sick of it.”

Carole nodded but didn't say anything, just continued rubbing her hand up and down Sophie’s back as the little girl slept on. 

“If feels like everyone wants to dictate how long we should be sad, how long we should be upset and...” he stopped himself. He finally lifted his head and took a deep breath. “I’m afraid...” he paused and caught his breath before staring at a blank space on the wall. “I’m afraid we're losing Mel,” he finally admitted. Carole reached over and took his hand, but being the woman that she was, and how well she knew the way Kurt processed things, didn't say anything so he would keep going. He loved her even more in that moment and took another breath. 

“That day in the hospital, none of us knew how to act around each other. We were each processing everything so differently. Everything felt so raw, so...open. We were walking on eggshells around one another, not knowing what to say, or what to even think...even Blaine and I were at a loss at how to handle what we were feeling. We were all just so caught off guard.

“Everything with Soph was so easy,” he continued as Carole nodded again. “Mel got pregnant on the first try, had a relatively problem free pregnancy and delivery...I guess we were almost lured into this....I don’t even know...” he trailed off again and shook his head. “We all just wanted answers, and nobody seems to be able to give us any.” 

“That’s because nobody knows, sweetie,” she told him sadly. “It’s just one of those shitty things that life likes to throw us to make sure we know that nothing comes easy.” 

“Like I needed to be reminded.” Kurt snorted angrily. “I don’t think I’ll ever forget that.”

Carole shook her head in agreement. “No, I don’t think any of us ever will.” 

Another few quiet moments passed by as Carole reached over and gently rubbed the tips of her fingers through the short hair on the back of Kurt’s head before squeezing his neck and shoulder. Kurt took a deep breath and bit his lip, leaning into the motherly touch. 

“The last few weeks have been...” he trailed off again and shook his head. “Blaine and I have been so focused on making sure Sophie is okay, that all her needs are met, that she doesn't see anything has changed...so even when we do--” he broke off as Sophie moaned and shifted in Carole’s arms, turning her head and settling back down to sleep against her chest, and Kurt let out a watery chuckle, pointing to her. “Something inevitably, comes up,” he paused again and sighed, leaning over to kiss the back of his daughter’s head. “She has to come first, right?” 

Carole exhaled and nodded. “Yes,” she started, reaching for his hand. “But sometimes, making sure you prioritize your marriage, _is_ putting her first.” 

Kurt looked at her warily, but finally nodded. 

“And everything will work out with Mel,” Carole promised. “She loves all three of you so much, she just needs time to process everything that happened...just like you do.” 

“I hope you’re right. She told us before we left that Luke surprised her with tickets for a three week Alaskan cruise,” he sighed, reaching over for his mug to take sip of tea. “She called last night and asked if she could take Sophie for their shopping trip on Monday morning because they are leaving on Wednesday and may not have time again if not then since they are spending the actual holiday with his family in Toronto after that.”

“Shopping trip?” 

Kurt smiled in spite of himself and nodded. “She always takes Sophie to buy our gifts from her,” he explained. “Says it’s not fair if we buy them, and that it’s something the two of them can do together. She’s done it since Soph was a baby.” 

Carole grinned at the sweetness of the gesture and kissed the top of Sophie’s head again. “It sounds like you all need to take some time and do some healing. Remember what they say,” she said as Kurt looked over at her warily. She laughed but recited the quote to him anyway. 

“Everything works out alright in the end, and if it’s not alright, it’s not the end.” 

******

Burt sighed as he decided that the last box of decorations just wasn't in the attic like his wife insisted. It had to be in the garage, because he and Blaine had been looking for almost thirty minutes and neither of them could find it anywhere. He’d sent Blaine downstairs a few minutes ago to look in the alcove closet, just in case they’d missed it earlier, while he finished stacking the boxes and bins the two of them had disturbed in their search. 

He turned off the attic light and carefully walked down the creaky steps before pushing them back into the ceiling with a defeated sigh. He stopped in the bathroom to wash the dust off his hands before walking toward the stairs to the main level of the house. He opened his mouth to call out to Blaine and ask if he’d found the missing box, when he stopped suddenly. Blaine was sitting in front of him on the landing, very clearly eavesdropping on the conversation going on in the living room between Kurt and Carole. 

Blaine jumped with a surprised and embarrassed look when he heard Burt behind him, but turned back around as Burt walked the few steps down and sat behind him. He couldn’t exactly make out what his wife and son were talking about, but he thought he could probably guess. 

“You okay, kid?” he asked as he put his hands on Blaine’s shoulders. 

Blaine didn’t say anything, but didn't shrug off his hands either. Burt took that as a good sign and sat with him for the next few minutes, neither of them saying anything as they waited for both of their spouses to finish up their conversation. 

Sometimes, Burt thought, You just need to sit quietly for a little while.

******

The next afternoon was their flight back to New York, and back to their day to day lives. At age 3, Sophie had become something of a seasoned flier. After the horrendous drive back to New York when she was 8 months old, Kurt had vowed never to drive again, and since they tried to make regular trips home...Sophie was no stranger to airplanes. She would sip her juice cup during take off, then watch a movie on her tablet, or fall asleep curled up with her bunny and blanket. 

The late afternoon flight wasn't long, but because of the holiday weekend and traffic getting back into the city...it was past Sophie’s bedtime by the time the cab pulled up in front of their building. Kurt carried the sleeping little girl, while Blaine managed the luggage. 

“Hey,” Blaine said when Kurt walked back down to the front of the loft. “She stay asleep?”

Kurt nodded as he rubbed his eyes a bit and opened the fridge. He made a mental note to get to the market the next day. They had let everything dwindle before leaving for the long weekend, and now he wasn't sure what they were going to do for breakfast in the morning. 

“I suppose I should make a quick run to Duane Reade,” he decided, opening the cabinet next to the fridge before turning back to Blaine. “We have cereal but no milk, and peanut butter but no bread. I can pick something up for us to eat while I’m out.” 

Blaine bit his lip but nodded. Kurt gave him a tight smile before turning to walk down the hallway toward the door. 

“Actually, honey,” Blaine stopped him. “I can go in the morning. I was thinking maybe we could order in?” 

Kurt turned and gave him a weary look but tipped his head and motioned for Blaine to keep going. 

“I was thinking maybe Chinese from that place on 43rd, Happy-something? You can order drinks from there too, and then we can just stay in tonight.”

“But, what about breakfast?”

Blaine shrugged and walked over to the bookshelf where they kept the majority of their DVD collection. “I can run out for bagels and coffee early. I think we need the night in...just the two of us.” 

Kurt sighed but had to smile when Blaine held up the case for When Harry Met Sally. 

“I know it’s not exactly a holiday movie...but it’s our movie, and I really just wanna curl up on the couch and watch it with you.” 

Kurt looked at his husband’s anxious face and couldn't say no. He nodded and told Blaine to order the food, that he was going to go change. 

After closing their bathroom door behind him, Kurt stared at his reflection in the mirror. He stretched his neck and rubbed his hand down the brown stubble that had grown on his face since he shaved that morning. He carefully cleansed and moisturized his tired face. He picked up the serum he kept on hand for puffiness and let his eyes blur with the tears he refused to let fall. He listened to his husband’s far off voice ordering their dinner and had to smile in spite of the sadness he’d been holding on to all month...because just like his coffee in the morning, and the way he ordered his eggs when they went out to brunch, Blaine knew exactly what to order for him. 

And while some may say that after ten years of ordering in at least one night a week, one would hope his partner would know his standing choices...there was something so comforting in not having to give an explanation. The comfort of knowing that when the food arrives, Blaine will have ordered rice and noodles for him, that he will have known that Kurt likes to get two orders of dumplings, because they both like them cold the day after, knowing that while Blaine will want a beer after the long day, Kurt will want to stick with Diet Coke...so he’ll order both. 

All of the sudden, his arms ached to hold and be held by Blaine. He hurriedly pulled on a pair of soft lounge pants and the matching hooded t-shirt. The DVD menu screen was already playing when he walked back to the couch, and Blaine had made a tall glass of ice water for him to sip while they waited for their food to arrive. The gesture made the lump in his throat grow even bigger, but for some reason...he felt almost shy. He sat timidly on the edge of the couch and watched as Blaine paid no heed to his timidness, immediately pulling him into his arms without a second thought. 

Kurt relaxed into the embraced and sighed as the movie started. He laughed at Sally honking the horn within the first five minutes; Blaine held him even tighter. They ate their dinner side by side as they quoted the dialog back and forth to each other as they’d done for years, letting little giggles of familiarity slip out as the movie played on. 

Kurt let himself cry when Sally cried, and Blaine made both of them laugh when he whooped at Sally slapping Harry across the face. They held hands as the final scenes played out. Kurt looked over at his husband, and Blaine stared back at him. The movie ended and wordlessly, they cleaned up and turned off the lights. 

They stood next to each other as they brushed their teeth. Blaine used the bathroom while Kurt checked on Sophie one last time and double checked to make sure the door was locked. 

He crawled into bed, slipping down and reaching over until he found Blaine’s hand under the covers. They laid there together for a long time, occasionally wiping away stray tears and whispering I love you to each other in the dark and moving closer and closer until they were wrapped up in each other’s arms. 

Winter-January

The Saturday after New Year’s Day a blizzard shut down the city. Snow covered everything, footprints were gone before they’d had a chance to make their dent on the sidewalks. Cars crept carefully down the empty streets, only to slip and slide until they met their destination. The city went into hibernation. It was cold, quiet, and unsettling. 

Blaine and Kurt did everything they could think of to keep Sophie entertained inside their loft. They had tried to take her outside on Sunday morning when it looked like the bulk of the snow had fallen, but the closest park was four blocks away. Sophie was over the snow by the time they made the walk and whined to go home before they could try any of the things that made snow so fun and was adamant about not going back out in it. 

They baked cookies, they had movie marathons in the blanket fort Blaine built in the living room. Kurt tied a sturdy blanket to the table to create a hammock that Sophie insisted on sleeping in before Blaine carried her to bed at night. They had coloring contests, played dolls, played hide and seek until she was screaming with laughter and running away. She and Kurt sat down and designed a new party dress for her. She sat on Blaine’s lap and ‘helped’ him play the piano, the three of them singing along while Kurt made and froze pots of soup for the coming few weeks, already preparing for the colds they were all sure to come down with when their lives got going again. 

School wasn't scheduled to resume until Tuesday, so Monday morning Kurt groaned at his alarm clock while everyone else slept on. He was out the door before anyone else had even woken up. 

******

Blaine scrubbed his hand down his face as Sophie ran yelling down the hallway, her fairy wand with the long yellow streamers flowing behind her as she giggled. He looked at the clock on the microwave and decided it was time to start thinking about lunch just as his phone started ringing on the counter. 

“Kurt, hey,” he answered, moving aside as Sophie made another lap around him, thankfully not yelling this time. 

“Hey, I was just calling to tell you that Natalie texted and she can watch Sophie tonight. She said she could be there by five...is that enough time for you to get ready?” 

Blaine nodded as Sophie let out a barking laugh and ran down the hallway again. “It’ll have to be.”

“Thank you so much, honey. I know these dinners can be kinda boring for you, but I really appreciate you coming with me.” 

“It’s no problem, Kurt,” he assured him as Sophie laughed again and started to climb up on the couch. “I could probably use the adult time anyway--hang on, Sophia Elizabeth! Absolutely not! We do not jump on the furniture.” 

“Daaaaaad,” Sophie whined as Kurt chuckled in his ear. 

“Nope. Couches are for bottoms, not feet.” 

Sophie gave him a mischievous grin. She flopped back down on her back and lifted her feet in the air, she bounced her little butt up and down on the couch and giggling to herself. Blaine turned back to the kitchen and opened the fridge with a sigh. It wasn't worth the argument, and she had at least listened to him. 

Kurt murmured something to someone next to him before turning his attention back at Blaine. “Uh oh, she being a handful for you today?”

Blaine sighed again as he pulled a tupperware container of frozen soup from the freezer to start heating up. “She’s just bored,” he said into the phone. “We did all the fun ‘snow day, stuck in the house’ stuff this weekend...” 

Kurt hummed and Blaine imagined he was probably nodding. “And it’s not like I have the old stand-by’s to fall back on. It’s still too cold and snowy, so the park’s out. Plus, I got an e-mail a few minutes ago that her gymnastics class was canceled because the heater went out in the building, so I don’t even have that to work towards. I was thinking maybe a trip to the library for some new books, but I’m still not sure about ‘Sophie meets the snowpocalypse’.” 

“Well, the good news is that the roads and sidewalks are mostly clear from all the traffic this morning,” Kurt said. “And my lunch meeting was just canceled...you wanna meet up? We could grab some lunch and get you both out of the loft for a few hours?” 

Blaine shook his head. “If she’s being like this now, I can’t imagine she would have the best ‘going out to lunch’ manners...” 

Kurt hummed again and was quiet for a few moments before speaking up again. “Oh! What about the diner? We’ve been talking about taking her for a while, and there’s always tons of people running around, singing and dancing...she wouldn't need to be on the best behavior there anyway.”

“Are you sure?” Blaine asked, already pushing the soup back into the freezer and shutting the door. 

“Yeah,” he answered as Blaine walked down the hallway toward their bedroom. “I brought my suit with me, just in case...and it looks like I’m gonna have to go straight from here to the restaurant. I’d like to see her a little bit today, anyway, so it’d be great.” 

Blaine nodded as he told Kurt to give them about thirty minutes before leaving to meet up and they hung up. 

******

Mel sighed as she set the cordless phone she never used, and often forgot about, down on her counter and pinched the bridge of her nose, attempting to ward off a tension headache. Her loft smelled stale and musty, she knew she would have to clean soon...as well as unpack. 

She glanced down the hall and groaned at the three very heavy bags she had dropped by her door when she had walked in not even an hour before. 

When Luke had had offered her the three week Alaskan cruise over a month ago, she’d known it would be the perfect thing to take her mind off everything. But after three weeks on a ship, a week in Toronto with his family for the holidays, and getting snowed in four days at her dad’s in Connecticut, she was happy to be home--even if it seemed her brand new iPhone hadn’t made it home with her. 

She groaned again as she pulled out her laptop and sat down at her counter to look up what kind of insurance package she had for the stupid thing. As she waited for the screen to boot up she wrinkled her nose, searching for the foul smell that was only adding to the headache her brain was trying to work up. Looking around, she finally found the culprit--the dead and now decaying bunch of flowers on her coffee table. Her heart dropped as she remembered...

_The knock on the door pulled Mel from the daze she had settled into the last half hour or so. She had been watching mindless TV Land reruns and snoozing on the couch since that morning, when she had begrudgingly left her bed._

_She’d been ignoring her phone, hadn't checked her e-mail, hadn't even flipped on the news to see what was going on in the rest of the world. She knew she should probably eat something...but nothing sounded good and she was still battling nausea, so what was the point?_

_However, a knock at the door had to mean either Kurt or Blaine; she didn't really know anyone else in the building, and she hadn't given Luke a key yet. She knew the guys would respect her request for a little space. If they were knocking on her door, it must be important._

_She pushed herself from the couch with only a small wince. Walking down the hall, she took several deep breaths and mentally prepared herself before opening the door, but was surprised to find neither Kurt nor Blaine standing in her hallway._

_“Rachel? Hi,” Mel said, the surprise evident on her face._

_Rachel had a bunch of long stemmed white and pink lilies tucked into her arm, and her grin could only be described as mischievous._

_“How did you...?” Mel asked, she hadn't buzzed her in._

_Rachel just shrugged with a smile. “I have a key,” she answered simply._

_Mel shook her head. “Right, of course.”_

_“Is it alright if...” Rachel asked, motioning to come in. “Is it okay? I know you asked the guys for some time.”_

_Mel shook her head and moved aside. “No, of course you can come in,” she assured her, closing the door and following Rachel down the hallway. “I have to warn you though, I’m not the best company right now.”_

_“I understand,” Rachel acknowledged as she walked into the kitchen and helped herself to a vase that was sitting by the sink. “I won’t stay long, I just wanted to check in on you, see how you were doing.”_

_“I’m fine,” Mel hastened to answer. She walked over and attempted to sit gingerly on one of her stools, then thought better of it when a sharp pain shot through her body._

_Rachel looked over with a concerned, but also skeptical look on her face. She didn't believe Mel for a second._

_“Really, Rachel...I’m okay. Just really tired.”_

_Rachel looked down at the flowers she had brought and untied the binding holding the paper together. Several uncomfortable moments passed, the crinkle of the wrapping paper the only noise._

_“Did you know, you can ask your florist to cut the stems and arrange the bouquet for you?” Rachel asked, as the vase filled with water in the sink._

_Mel sighed, but shook her head._

_“Kurt taught me that. I’m horrible at arranging flowers. I don't know why, I just can’t do it. Don't have the eye for it, I suppose.”_

_Mel swallowed the emotion that immediately bubbled inside her at the mention of their friend’s name._

_“How is Kurt?”_

_Rachel didn't say anything for a few moments. She set the flowers down in the water filled vase, moved a few around so they all had space to breathe, finally turning to the other woman with a soft smile._

_“They are my next stop,” she answered._

_“Rachel, I...” Mel started, but Rachel interrupted._

_“I’m gonna make some tea, would you like some tea?”_

_Mel huffed out a quiet laugh, but nodded. “Yes, please. The tea bags and mugs are in the cabinet above the sink.”_

_“Perfect, go sit down. I’ll have this ready in a jiffy. Can I make you anything to eat, too?”_

_“No, thank you. The tea will be fine,” Mel assured her, sitting down on the couch and covering her legs with a gray and white knit blanket._

_Both women were quiet as Rachel boiled water, set the bags to steep, and flitted around the kitchen. Mel turned off the TV and cleared off her coffee table._

_"Splash of milk and spoonful of sugar, right?” Rachel asked when the tea was finished steeping._

_Mel looked up and gave her a soft smile. “Right.”_

_Rachel grinned as she walked the mugs over and handed Mel hers. “My dads used to tell me, ‘always learn how someone takes their tea, you can learn a lot about people by what they add’.”_

_Mel took a sip and was quiet for a few moments as Rachel walked back into the kitchen to grab the vase of flowers. “What does mine say about me?” she asked._

_Rachel set the vase on the coffee table in front of them and shrugged. “I dunno, they would never tell me.” Mel laughed in spite of herself._

_Rachel grinned over the top of her mug, smug that she had gotten Mel to genuinely smile, as she sat down on the other end of the couch. She looked over at the vase of lilies and sighed softly as she let a few more quiet moments pass by._

_Mel opened her mouth to tell Rachel that she really was fine, when Rachel took a deep breath._

_“Sam brought me lilies,” she finally said, breaking the silence, her voice soft as she reached over to rub one of the petals between the pads of her fingers. “I don't know why but, in some stupid way, they helped.”_

_Mel looked over in confusion, realization slowly washing over her as she understood what Rachel was telling her._

_“Rachel...I had no idea,” she whispered, her eyes already starting to well up._

_Rachel pushed on the rim of her mug with her thumb and shrugged. “No one did,” she sighed. “We never told anyone.”_

_“It was about six months after we eloped,” Rachel started, her voice soft, but strong. “We’d been back in the city for just over a year. I’d just graduated from NYADA and I had all these offers on the table. Sam was just starting to get really steady work...we were doing really good,” she nodded to herself. “I still don't know how it happened. We were being so, so careful,” she laughed softly, brushing a stray tear that had rebelled and leaked from her eye. “Life has a way, ya know?”_

_The corners of Mel’s mouth twitched as she nodded, leaning over to put her mug on the coffee table._

_“We didn't know what to do. Sam kept telling me, ‘It’s your choice, I’ll stand by whatever you decide. I’ll support you no matter what’. I was so mad at him,” she almost laughed. “I just wanted him to tell me what to do...but he couldn’t.”_

_Rachel finally looked over and made eye contact with Mel, her eyes swimming with unshed tears. “It wasn't the first time I had thought about kids. I just always thought about them in this abstract kind of way. Something far away and in our future. But then our future was right there, staring me in the face, demanding I make a choice...I didn't know what to do.”_

_Mel reached over and took her hand. Rachel sighed out the tiniest of sobs and held on to her hand like a lifeline. “What happened?” Mel asked._

_“I finally got Sam to talk. We argued, we yelled, we made the decision together. We could do it, we could be parents. We had amazing friends, supportive family...” she paused and wiped her eyes once again, still holding tight to Mel’s hand. “Three days later, I started bleeding.”_

_Mel’s eyes welled up and her voice shook. “Oh, Rachel.”_

_“It was still really early,” Rachel explained. “They didn't even keep me in the hospital very long. Sam and I went home, and it just seemed easier not to tell everyone. I mean, how do you say...’Oh I’m pregnant, but not anymore’?”_

_Mel nodded, understanding completely._

_“I think I cried for three days straight, but never told anyone why...not even Kurt,” Rachel laughed through her tears and looked over at Mel. “And I tell Kurt everything.”_

_Mel laughed. She wiped her eyes again and nodded._

_Rachel looked away, lost in thought, before she took a deep breath and kept going._

_“You know that bullshit excuse?” she asked. “That stupid fucking ‘reason’ that everyone keeps giving you that makes no sense and does not, even a little bit, make you feel better?”_

_Mel nodded. She knew exactly what Rachel was referring to. If her stupid doctor or any of the nurses had said it one more time, she was going to pelt them with anything she could have gotten her hands on._

_“As much as I hated hearing it...as much as it made no sense and I wanted to stab whoever was saying it, including my husband, it’s true. It sucks and it’s not good enough, but it is true.”_

_Mel turned her head and nodded. She kept nodding as the ball of emotion that had been sitting in her stomach for two days slowly climbed up her body and reached its breaking point at her eyes. She kept nodding as it felt like her chest was exploding, and her eyes filled, blinking and gushing tears that fell down her face with no end in sight._

_“I feel so guilty,” she finally whispered._

_Rachel pushed the blanket out of the way and pulled Mel into her arms._

_“You have nothing, nothing to feel guilty about.”_

_Mel shook her head, but finally let her body be held by someone, sinking into Rachel’s small, but strong frame._

_“If I had just called when I first started spotting,” she choked out, her voice hiccupping with a sob. “Called the second the cramps started.”_

_“Then nothing would have changed,” Rachel stubbornly insisted, squeezing Mel tightly before pulling back just a touch to look her in the eye. “There is no way you could have known what was going to happen, or if getting to the hospital sooner would have made any difference.”_

_Mel shook her head and sniffed._

_“Did you spot when you were pregnant with Sophie?” Rachel asked. “Did you cramp in the beginning? Did they tell you it was normal and not to worry?”_

_Mel bit her lip. “You did everything right,” Rachel insisted when Mel finally nodded. “Everything.”_

_Mel squeezed her eyes shut, the words she had been feeling for three days on the tip of her tongue before she finally let them go._

_“I feel like such a failure.”_

_Rachel pulled her back into her arms and held her as she cried. “I know.” Mel just cried harder._

_After a little while, Mel started to calm down and pulled away. Rachel stood up, went to the kitchen for two glasses of water, grabbing a box of tissues on her way back to the couch._

_Mel thanked her, blew her nose, and took several long sips of water as she took deep breaths to calm down._

_Rachel took a sip of her water, wiped her own eyes, and picked Mel’s hand back up._

_“How are you really? Physically, I mean...are you in any pain?” she asked._

_“Sore,” Mel admitted. “Everything was more...invasive than I was expecting. I’m not really in pain though.”_

_Rachel nodded as Mel looked down and fiddled with the end of the blanket still in her lap._

_“How are they, really?”_

_Rachel huffed out a sad laugh._

_“About as ‘okay’ as you are. Pretending they are fine, but hurting more than either of them will admit.”_

_Mel nodded sadly. She had figured as much._

_“Rach...in the hospital, in the hospital I told them we could start over--I told them we could start over right away,” she paused, starting to tear up again. “But I don’t think I’m ready.”_

_Rachel nodded. “They’ll understand,” she assured her. “They love you so much, Mel. They will do whatever you’re comfortable with.”_

_“I just, don't want to disappoint them.” The ‘again’ may not have been said, but Rachel heard it anyway._

_“You won’t,” Rachel told her, squeezing her hand in reassurance. “You can’t, and you haven't, okay?”_

_Mel smiled, she didn't totally believe her, but she nodded anyway. “Thank you so much, Rachel. For coming over, and for sharing with me. I love them, but I still don’t know if I know exactly how to talk to them about this...yet.” Rachel nodded as she kept talking. “It means so much that you would trust me.”_

_Rachel just smiled and gave Mel a sort of half shrug. “Hey, you and I gotta stick together. If nothing else, for Sophie’s sake,” she joked and Mel cracked up._

_“I’m serious,” Rachel cried. “I was raised by two men. I love my dads more than anything, but I would have killed for an Aunt Mel and Aunt Rachel when I was growing up.”_

_Mel laughed again as she wiped the last of the tears from her face._

_“I would have, too.”_

_Rachel grinned as she stood up. “I better go.” she said. “I’ll call you later, okay? Get some rest.”_

_“I will.” Mel promised as she pulled Rachel into a hug goodbye._

_They stood there for a while before Mel finally whispered. “I’m sorry.”_

_Rachel gave her one more tight squeeze. “I know,” she assured her. “I’m sorry, too.”_

Mel shook herself out of the memory and sniffed, quickly wiping her hand under her eye. She stood abruptly and grabbed her coat and bag from the table by the door. She needed a new phone, and then she needed her friends. 

*******

“We aren’t walking, are we Daddy?” 

Blaine chuckled as he made sure the door was locked and pulled it shut behind them. “No, honey. Papa said the roads were mostly clear today, so we’ll see if we can get a cab...if not, we’ll take the train.” 

Sophie hurried ahead and gleefully pushed the down button to call the elevator. “I’m gonna get a cheesebunga! What about you, Daddy?” 

Blaine laughed and nodded. He took her mitten covered hand as the elevator doors opened. “A cheeseburger sounds pretty good to me, monster.” 

Sophie swung their joined hands back and forth as the elevator began its descent and she called out the numbers that flashed on the screen above the panel. 

“8...7...6...oh, we’re stopping!” she called as the elevator doors opened. Blaine’s breath caught as Sophie dropped his hand and cried out. “AUNT MEL!” 

Mel face broke into a grin as she held her arms open for Sophie to jump into. “Hey, there’s my girl!” 

Blaine grinned as Mel pulled him into her arms, Sophie still awkwardly on her hip. “Mel, we didn't even know you had gotten back.”

She sighed and nodded. “I got home an hour or so ago, but somehow lost my phone on the commute from Connecticut to here. I called my dad when I got home and he swore it’s not at his house. I was just running out the Apple store to get a replacement.” Blaine nodded as she explained and they walked off the elevator, into the lobby of their building. “I was actually gonna call you guys as soon as they transferred my contacts over, see if you had any plans for dinner?” 

They stopped in the alcove where the mailboxes were kept and Blaine leaned down to adjust the buttons on Sophie’s red coat. “Kurt actually has a business dinner tonight. We got a sitter for this monster and I’m gonna join him.” 

Mel nodded her understanding as Sophie started jumping up and down. “Aunt Mel!” she cried, both adults turning to look down at her. “We’re meeting my Papa for lunch! You can come.” 

“Oh honey,” Blaine laughed nervously, throwing Mel a timid look. “Aunt Mel was getting ready to run some errands, she may not be able to--”

He trailed off as Mel hastened to shake her head. “No, I’d love to come actually...if that’s okay? I really missed you guys, and I’d love to see Kurt.” 

Blaine reached out to take her arm and gave it a reassuring squeeze. “Of course it’s okay,” he promised her. “Kurt and I were just talking last night about how much we missed you, he’ll be thrilled to see you.” 

“I missed you guys, too,” she said, her and Blaine taking each of Sophie’s hands as they walked out onto the snowy sidewalk and catching a cab that was letting someone out just a yard or two away. “Plus, I have to tell you all about my trip! It was crazy fun!” 

******

Kurt was growing increasingly annoyed by the phone call he was having with his assistant as he stood outside the diner, waiting for his husband and daughter to arrive. Normally he would just wait inside, but it was much too loud to hear anything, and he knew how much it annoyed Blaine when he talked on his phone in the middle of a restaurant. He spied a cab pulling up with the unmistakable head of his husband popping out and he abruptly ended the call, pocketing his phone as he watched Blaine help their three year old daughter out of the car and over the snowy bank that had built up on the sidewalk that would surely be gone by the next day. He had to laugh at her horrified face. That child hated anything and everything to do with snow. She was a city girl, through and through. 

He called out her name when she looked around for him, her face breaking into a smile as she hurried the 20 or 30 feet over to him. “Papa!” 

Kurt knelt down to pull her into his arms in a hug, mindful of her boots not getting anywhere near his pants or long coat. “Hi honey, how are you?” 

“I’m hungry,” she announced, grinning when Kurt kissed her cheek and stood up. 

“Me too, honey--Mel?” he asked, his eyes growing wide when he looked up and spied his friend walking up next to his husband. He grinned as she pulled him into a crushing hug, kissing his cheek as she always did. 

“We ran into Mel as we were all leaving the building, Sophie invited her along and we all know how nobody can resist those big green eyes.” Blaine leaned in for a quick peck from Kurt and all three of them shared a fond look at the three year old between them, carefully eyeing some kids down the street, throwing snow at each other and laughing. 

“It’s so good to see you,” Kurt told her, pulling her in for another quick squeeze. “We missed you so much.” 

Mel grinned as she looped her arm through Kurt’s and the four of them walked into the loud diner.

******

Sophie stared with huge eyes as Kurt took the stage at Gunther’s insistence, Blaine settling down at the piano behind him. Kurt hummed a few bars to warm up as fast as he could, he and Blaine having a quick conversation on what they would sing. They had a huge repertoire and always took a few minutes to decide. 

Blaine’s eyes suddenly lit up as he tossed out a suggestion that Kurt immediately agreed to. As he started to play the opening bars, Kurt sat next to him on the piano bench and smiled to the room. 

“Please excuse my under-trained and unrehearsed voice.” 

Sophie stood up on the seat of the booth with Mel’s hands wrapped securely around her middle, both of them laughing and clapping wildly as Blaine and Kurt sang and flirted their way through “Then You May Take Me to the Fair” from Camelot. 

Sophie jumped up into Blaine’s arms after they had finished their song, taken a bow and were walking back to the table. 

“You sing good, daddies!” she exclaimed as they sat back down at their table and their waitress brought over their food. “Did you sing on stage like Daddy, Papa?” 

Kurt chuckled and gave his daughter a fond smile. “For a while sweet-pea,” he started as he cut her cheeseburger in half so it would be easier for her to handle. “Now Papa lets Daddy and Aunt Rachel handle the on-stage singing. My voice is better used singing you to sleep at night.” 

Blaine leaned over and whispered loudly to Sophie. “Don’t let him fool ya, Soph...Papa could pack a house like none other, you’re lucky you are the one he sings to the most now.”

Kurt rolled his eyes fondly but pointed to her plate so she would eat. 

Later, after Blaine had piled a very sleepy Sophie into a cab home for her nap, Kurt and Mel walked arm in arm the few blocks to the closest Apple store. Once she told Kurt where she was headed, he quickly said he’d tag along. He’d needed a new notebook charger for a while as he only had one and kept forgetting to bring it wherever he went. 

“I get to work and I left it at home, I get home and somehow left it at the office. I just need to keep one at each place and be done with it.” 

The sidewalks were crowded with people still on their lunch hours and pushed to the sides to avoid the melting snow banks. More than once the couple were forced to squeeze together or stretch their arms to walk behind one another in order to let someone pass. 

“I always forget that you started at NYADA as well.” 

Kurt looked up from where he was deciding on a new case for Sophie’s iPad and shrugged. Mel had picked out her phone and was just waiting for the employee helping her to finish the activation and ring her up. 

“Technically I graduated from there...NYADA that is.”

Mel looked up in surprise. “You did?”

Kurt nodded and walked over to her. 

“What happened? Why did you...”

“Why did I give it up?” 

Mel nodded and Kurt shrugged again. “Because it didn’t make me as happy as I always expected it to,” he said simply. “I used to love being on stage,” he continued with a wistful look on his face. “Commanding a room with just my voice. Feeling the applause and knowing it was just for me.” He stopped again and took a deep breath. “For so long, I wanted to prove everyone wrong.”

“What’d you mean?” 

Kurt set the box holding his charger and the iPad case on the counter. “Everyone who told me I wasn’t leading man material. That I would never get roles with my specific voice and face...that no woman would want to be held in my stick like arms.”

Mel glanced at his very not stick like arms and gave him a sideways look as he laughed and shrugged. 

“It got to the point where I couldn't remember what came first, wanting to be a star, or becoming a star just to prove to everyone that I could.” 

Mel nodded again as Kurt sighed. 

“Blaine and I had been married for about a year when we hit a really rough patch...and it was because I wasn’t happy and I was taking it out on him. So we got our butts back in therapy and I realized...” he trailed off again before giving her a small smile. “I realized I loved him more than I loved being a star, and that giving up on something I didn’t even really want wasn't letting them win. It was letting me win.” Mel nodded with a fond grin. “And once I realized that, and accepted it...I thought back to the last time I was really happy with my career, when I was working for Isabelle at Vogue.com after I first moved to the city. So I called her and...the rest is history.”

The employee helping Mel came back then and after finishing with Mel, rung Kurt out as well. As they were walking to the nearest subway stop, Mel asked him. “Do you miss it?”

Kurt stopped and closed his eyes for a moment. “Not really,” he answered honestly and opened his eyes to look at her. “I mean, there will always be aspects that I miss...but I love my life now. I love what I do and how I do it. I love the opportunities and doors that have been opened for me. I don’t regret for one minute the decisions I’ve made. They all got me to this point, standing here with you at this subway stop.” 

Mel bit her lip as she sniffed and threw her arms around him right there. “I’ve missed you.” 

Kurt looked taken aback for a moment before wrapping his arms around her as well and squeezing tightly. “I’ve missed you, too. Can we never go this long without talking again?” he asked carefully. “I mean, I get it and we understand...but I’ve, we’ve both, missed you so much. A month is too long to go without seeing our Mel.” 

Mel let out a watery chuckle as she held him closer and nodded her head. “Way too long.” 

March

Blaine woke up one Saturday in early March to the bed empty next to him. He rolled over in confusion to wake his phone up. 

"Seven thirty?” he mumbled out loud, rubbing his eyes and sitting up. He pushed the blankets back and grabbed his cardigan from the end of the bed to pull on before standing up and heading toward the hallway. 

He found his husband packing his bag at the kitchen counter, his traveler's mug of coffee curling steam in the light of the early morning sun. 

“Hey,” he called into the quiet of their loft. 

Kurt looked up with a start and let his face fall. 

“Hey, I’m sorry, I was trying not to wake you...” he said, packing the last of his sketchbooks into his bag. 

Blaine looked at him warily and walked over to stand in front of the sink. “You’re leaving?” 

Kurt nodded as he took a sip of his coffee. “I was gonna leave you a note, Tate e-mailed me last night that the last few prints I’ve been waiting for came in last night. I figured if I could get to the studio today, get some major work done uninterrupted, then maybe I could come home and at least spend the evening with you two...I’m already so behind, and I have less than a month to finish.” 

Blaine blew out a careful breath and looked over at his husband. “Did you forget about today?” Kurt looked up at him blankly. 

“My dad?” Blaine asked and Kurt closed his eyes. “He has that layover here before he flies to Prague for a month, said he wanted to see us for a few hours? It’s supposed to be a nice day, I figured we could pack a lunch and take Soph to the park, let her run around with Dad for a little while.” 

Kurt groaned and nodded. “I did, I completely forgot...I’m so sorry, Blaine.” Blaine sighed as Kurt went on. “I’ve just been putting out small fires all week at the office, everything has been so crazy. I haven't had hardly any time to get in my studio, and I’m so behind...” 

Blaine rubbed his fingers back and forth above his eyebrow a few times and sighed again before nodding. “Okay, I...okay.” 

“I know I keep saying this,” Kurt started, throwing the strap of his bag over his shoulder and walking around the counter to stand in front of Blaine. “But as soon as Paris is over, things will calm down and get back to normal around here.” Blaine looked down and bit his lip, but nodded. "I am sorry,” Kurt told him softly. “I promise, I’ll leave the studio no later than 5:30 and be home for dinner.” 

Blaine nodded again, but didn't look up. 

“Okay, Soph and I will meet up with Dad and go to the market afterwards. Text when you’re on your way and we’ll have dinner ready.” 

Kurt smiled as Blaine lifted his head and leaned in for the kiss Kurt was offering. “It’s a date. Love you, give the monster a kiss for me.” 

“I love you, too...” he answered, waving as Kurt hurried down the hallway and walked out the door, pulling it closed behind him with a click. 

******

“Daddy,” Sophie started after Blaine had pointed to a picnic table and set down the basket and bag he’d been carrying. “Can I have that cuppycake now, please?” 

Blaine looked over at her and narrowed his eyes. “Sophie, do we have dessert first, before our meal?” 

Sophie sighed as she watched Blaine shake out the blanket they had brought and lay it carefully over the metal table. “But I’m huuuuuungry,” she whined. 

“Well, you can have the cupcake you picked out after you eat your sandwich and carrot sticks,” he told her, pulling containers and cutlery from the basket and setting everything on the table. 

“But,” she started, leaning her head back and whining. “I’m not hungry for turn’key, I’m hungry for cuppycakes!” 

Blaine blew out a breath. He was just about to reprimand her when he looked up and saw his dad about forty yards away, walking toward them. “Hey, look who I see!” he told her, pointing to Andrew. Sophie looked up and squealed. 

“Grandpa!!” she cried as she tore after him. He laughed and picked her up in a hug, swinging her around a little before setting her back on the ground and taking her hand. 

Blaine smiled as his dad walked over to him, then held out his arm for an awkward hug which Andrew returned gratefully. 

“Hello, Blaine, you look well.”

Blaine huffed out a laugh but thanked him as Sophie hopped from one foot to the other and swung Andrew’s hand back and forth and babbled. 

“Oh my goodness, Grandpa, we brought so many food for our picnic. And me ‘n Daddy went to the bakery by our building and got cuppycakes for dessert! We got you a rappsberry one, cause Daddy said that’s what you like...I like the chocolate ones. I bet I can eat my WHOLE cuppycake, do you think you can eat your whole cuppycake? I can help you if you can’t, I promise.”

Andrew looked up at Blaine and laughed as he hugged Sophie once more. “Thank you, little one...I’m sure I can finish my cupcake, but I would be glad to share a bite with you. And your daddy is absolutely right, raspberry is my favorite.”

Blaine pulled a hand wipe from one of the bags and passed it to Sophie. “Here honey, wipe your hands on this so we can sit down and eat.” Sophie nodded as Blaine motioned for his dad to sit down as well. “Dad, help yourself--we have turkey sandwiches, pasta salad, pita bread and hummus, and some veggies.”

“Great. This all looks so good, son,” Andrew told him as Sophie plopped down next to him and accepted the plate Blaine had put together for her. 

He pulled Sophie’s cup of milk from the insulated bag he had brought, as well as two bottles of water. He put one in front of his dad and kept the other for himself as he sat down across from them and took a long sip. 

“So, no Kurt today?” Andrew asked and Blaine shook his head. 

“He’s at work,” Sophie piped up next to him, sighing. “He’s always at work.” 

Andrew looked up at Blaine. “Oh honey, he’s not always at work...” Blaine trailed off nervously, trying to both comfort his daughter, as well as not alarm his father. 

“Yes huh!” she insisted. “He wasn't even home for goodnights the last time. And you said it’s ‘cause he had’ta work.” 

Blaine reached over and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. “Papa’s been really busy lately, honey...but he told me this morning he’s gonna try to be home for dinner tonight. So you’ll get to see him then, okay?” 

Sophie sat up and grinned. “Really?” 

Blaine looked into her excited face and forced a smile, praying he didn't just build up her expectations, only for Kurt to call and cancel later. He nodded and pointed to her plate. 

“Really, now eat.” 

Andrew gave him a thoughtful smile, then looked down at Sophie and asked about her school. She started jabbering on again and the subject was dropped. 

After the three of them had finished lunch, and Andrew and Blaine had cleaned up the picnic table, they walked Sophie down the path a little to a playground and set her loose to play. Blaine pointed to a bench where they could still see her and Andrew followed him. 

“So,” Andrew started after a few quiet moments. “How are you?” 

Blaine nodded but kept his eyes on Sophie and didn't turn to face his dad. “I’m good, in between projects right now...but really good.” 

“Oh really?”

“Yeah. Our nanny, Kate, is in her last semester of college and got an internship with an elementary school. She asked if she could have a little time off to finish up, then come back full time for the summer. We really like her and don’t want to lose her, and I was just finishing up a small guest run in The Elephant Man. I figured now was as good a time as any to take a little break and focus on Sophie for a while.” 

Andrew nodded again as he watched Sophie and another little girl try to push each other on the swings. 

“And Kurt? How’s he doing?” 

Blaine took a deep breath before nodding. “He’s good. Busy, but good.” He finally turned to face his dad and gave him a little half smile that didn’t quite reach his eyes. “The fashion world is crazy this time of year, he’s just really busy.” 

Andrew hummed and shook his head. “I can imagine. Is he traveling quite a bit?” 

Blaine shrugged. “He was in London the first part of February...and then he’ll be in Paris at the end of the month.” 

Andrew laughed and rubbed his eyebrow. “Your mom used to get so mad at me when I would travel,” he said. “Especially when you two were small. Said it was too hard on her to keep everything going when I was away.” 

Blaine gave his dad a sideways look and crossed his legs. “It’s pretty hard, yeah. I mean, I’m basically a single parent right now...” Blaine trailed off as he crossed his arms as well and tried not to sound too much like a petulant child. “He’s gone before she wakes up, and is barely home before she goes to bed. He was in and out almost all of the February fashion weeks for _Rage_ , and now he’s putting a line out for the Paris Week at the end of the month.”

“Yeah, that’s a lot of work for one person,” Andrew agreed. 

Blaine nodded and bit his lip. “He’s put on small shows for his own brand before, but always with the umbrella of _Rage_...this is the first time he’s doing it all on his own. He’s doing a full thirty piece collection, he got his own investors, he’s doing all of the designing and most of the manual labor, plus all the press that goes along with launching a runway show...it’s just, taking a lot out of him, and that in turn is taking a lot out of us.” 

Blaine heard his dad’s phone buzz, but he ignored it, intent to let Blaine finish talking without interruption. Fueled by this little gesture, Blaine took a breath and kept going. 

“I don’t want it to sound like I’m complaining, because it’s not like I don’t do the same thing when I’m working as hard as he is, and with rehearsals, techs and previews, not to mention eight shows a week, I’m just as busy for just as long, it’s just...” he paused and looked down at his hands. 

“We lost a baby this past fall.”

Andrew’s face fell and he sighed. “Oh, Blaine.”

Blaine nodded and took another breath. “And I feel like he just, threw himself into his work as a way to kind of...push away the hurt he was feeling afterwards. We’ve talked about it a little since then, and I feel like we’re both...okay now. But Kurt’s on this fast track to get this line out, plus all his editorial duties with Rage...I just wish he would take a break, that’s all.” 

Andrew nodded and clasped his hands in his lap, smiling as his eyes followed Sophie running across the playground behind the other little girl, both of them giggling. 

He looked back at his son and tilted his head slightly. “Are you really okay?” 

Blaine glanced over at him before turning his head back to Sophie and nodding. “Yeah, I am. It was really hard at first, but then...I dunno, it gets easier the longer you have to live with it, I suppose.”

Andrew nodded and was quiet for a few long moments. “Your mom and I lost a baby once.”

Blaine’s head shot up and over. “You did?” 

Andrew nodded and sighed. “Right after we got married, it was one of those things where she didn't know she was pregnant and felt really horrible, so I rushed her to the ER, and they told us.”

“Oh man,” Blaine mumbled, biting his lip. 

“I honestly didn't know how to feel, at first,” Andrew started, his hands still clasped in his lap. “Mom cried for a full three days, then told me she wanted to have a baby...and we started trying.

“It wasn't until a few years later, when we stopped trying and she told me she wanted to adopt Cooper, that I really thought about that baby we lost...who it could have been, what could have happened...” 

Blaine nodded along with him, he’d had all the same thoughts, they’d kept him awake at night for weeks.

Andrew started chuckling to himself and Blaine had to smile. “But then, Cooper filled our every waking moment with his exuberant personality and mischievous ways, and you came along a few years later...it just, gets easier.” 

Blaine nodded with a sad smile and they both watched as Sophie flew down a slide and waved. Blaine grinned and lifted his hand to wave and blow her a kiss. She reached up and caught it, running toward the swings with her fist held up the air, holding the ‘kiss’ tight as she ran. 

“I’m really glad you could have lunch with us today, Dad,” Blaine started, Andrew turning his head to smile at him. “It was nice to see you again.” 

Andrew looked down at his feet and nodded. “You too, son.” 

******

Sophie was sitting at the table with one of her alphabet puzzles while Blaine put dinner together in the kitchen when they both heard the door open and Kurt calling down the hall. 

Blaine looked over at Sophie’s wide eyes, a smile spreading across her face as she struggled to get down and ran down the hallway. 

“PAPA!!!” 

Kurt hung the garment bags he had over his arm in the closet with the washer and dryer before he knelt down and opened his arms. “There’s my monster!” 

Sophie squealed again as Kurt lifted her up and pecked kisses against her cheek and neck between each question he asked her and she giggled. “How are you? How was your day? Did you have fun? Were you a good girl?” 

"Me ‘n Daddy went to the park!” she cried. Blaine tossed the dish towel over his shoulder and smiled as Kurt walked into the kitchen with Sophie still in his arms. “We met Grandpa and had a picnic and I ate all my chocolate cuppycake! And Grandpa shared his rappsberry with me and it was sooooo good! I think I like rappsberry too, Papa. Like how I like chocolate, but not as much, not as much as I like chocolate.” 

Kurt laughed at her and leaned in for the kiss Blaine was offering him. Kurt was smiling, but Blaine could see how tired his eyes looked, and he pecked another quick kiss against his lips before Sophie huffed and he pulled away, laughing. 

“Dinner should be ready in about ten minutes or so,” he told them. Kurt nodded and let Sophie slide down to the floor. 

“Great, I’m starved. It smells amazing.” 

Blaine nodded and pushed Sophie away slightly so he could peek in the oven. “Oven-baked breaded chicken, mashed potatoes, and corn on the cob.” 

Kurt moaned and nodded. “Let me go change, I’ll be back in a few minutes.”

Dinner was filled with the sounds of Sophie’s chatter. Kurt listened intently and smiled over at Blaine as she told him everything from what shoes she’d worn that day, to the button games and letter puzzles she could do. 

After dinner, Sophie pulled out the puzzle she had been working on before Kurt got home, and insisted the three of them put it together three times, while she told them each letter before plopping it in the correct spot. 

At bedtime, Kurt sang and read to her while Blaine cleaned up the kitchen, insisting that even though he cooked, Kurt should go spend some time with Sophie, and he didn't mind. After a full day of playing, shopping, and the excitement of Papa being home, Sophie was asleep before her 8:30 p.m. bedtime. 

“She told me all about the girl she met at the park today,” Kurt said as he walked back into the living room, the garment bags over his arm and his sewing box in his hand. “Sounds like they had a blast.”

Blaine nodded as he shut the dishwasher and started the wash cycle. “Yeah, we made plans for a play date later in the week.” He stopped and looked over to where Kurt was standing. “What’s that?” 

Kurt sighed as he spread a thick black sheet over the clean table. “One is Rachel’s dress for the Alzheimer's benefit in a few weeks. She needs a fitting before I can finish, and I told her to stop by here before she goes to the theater tomorrow. The other is a gown that I have to finish the bead work on before I can sew it together. I was getting caught up today, and made myself stop...thinking I could get it finished after Sophie went to sleep.” 

Blaine sighed and shook his head, all thoughts of a bottle of wine and some down time with his husband flying out the window as he watched Kurt pull out the dress form he kept in their hall closet. 

“Okay, well...” Blaine trailed off as he watched Kurt carefully drape a purple dress on the form. “I guess I’ll leave you to it, then.” 

Kurt looked up, his brow furrowed as he adjusted one of the pleats in the bodice. “Well, wait...you don’t have to go,” he insisted, motioning to the living room. 

Blaine shook his head and picked up his phone from where he had left it on the coffee table. “Actually, now that Soph is down...I think I’m gonna go for a walk.” 

Kurt looked a little confused. “A walk?” 

Blaine nodded as he folded a blanket that had been bunched up on the couch.

“You don’t have to do that,” Kurt insisted, his hands wringing together as he stepped a little closer. “I wasn’t trying to run you out of the apartment...”

“It’s fine,” he told him. “It’s been a long day, on top of a long week...I need to get out for a little while, clear my head.” 

He walked over to him and pecked his lips against Kurt’s quickly. “I won’t be late. I have my phone if you need me.” 

Kurt nodded as Blaine walked down the hallway, picking up his keys from the bowl by the door and grabbing one of his lighter jackets that was hanging in the closet. 

The sunny and unseasonably warm day had segued into a clear and cold night as Blaine walked down their block. He pulled his jacket a little tighter around him and wished he had thought enough to bring a scarf. It wasn't the bitter cold of the winter, but it was early March and a frost still hung in the air when the sun went down.

He let his mind wander. He thought about articles he’d read in The Voice, and the e-mails filled with possible auditions his agent insisted on sending him no matter how many times he told her he was taking a break for a few months. He thought about the parent/teacher conferences they had coming up that week, and if Kurt would be able to get away, or if this was another thing he would have to do on his own. He thought about bills and Sophie’s school tuition.

When at last he could stand the cold no more, he walked into the Pom Pom Diner, a neighborhood place they often went to...especially when one or both of them were hungover and needed some greasy comfort food, and sat down to warm up. He ordered a cup of coffee and a piece of hot apple pie. 

The waitress was sweet and smiled as she set his order down on the table. He shook his head and thanked her when she asked if he needed anything else. He took the time to doctor his coffee exactly how he liked it, took a small sip and deemed it good enough...then didn't drink it. He sat with his hands molded around the hot ceramic cup to keep warm and stared at the gooey apple filling falling out of the flaky crust on his plate. He picked up his fork and pushed the apples around, not noticing when the waitress walked back up to his table. 

“Somethin’ wrong with the pie, honey?” 

Blaine looked up with a start and immediately plastered a smile on his face as he shook his head. “No, sorry,” he told her. “I guess I was a little more cold than actually hungry.” 

The waitress smiled and nodded. “Yeah it’s a night out there, I tell ya. The weatherman said a cold front is movin’ in and we could get some dustings of snow before morning.” 

Blaine looked up at her in shock. “Are you kidding, it was almost 60 degrees today!” 

She laughed. “That’s March in New York for ya! Lived here my whole life and ain’t no two winters been the same. This city is always changin’ on ya.” 

“I guess so...” 

She pulled his bill from the pad of paper in her hand and laid it on the table. “Pay me whenever you’re ready honey, no rush.” 

Blaine thanked her again and watched as she walked away. _This is silly_ , he thought to himself as he pulled a few bills from his wallet and dropped them on the table. He was not going to sit there for hours just because he didn't want to deal with the issues that waited for him at home. 

After waving to the waitress where she was refilling someone’s coffee, he pulled on his jacket and walked out the door just as a cab turned onto the block. He stood out on the street and threw his arm out to flag it down. 

The lights in the loft were still on when he walked back in and hung his jacket in the closet. Kurt was hunched over the table, his glasses perched on his nose as he carefully stitched in the tiny beads to the unfinished bodice of what looked like the beginnings of a beautiful evening gown. He looked over and gave Blaine a tired smile when he walked in. 

“How was your walk, feel better?” 

Blaine sighed and shook his head. “Not really.” 

Kurt’s smile slipped from his face as he looked back down at his hands. 

“Could you take a break?” Blaine asked. “We need to talk.” 

Kurt nodded as he carefully set down the needle and thread. He slipped off his glasses and set them on the table before standing up and following Blaine to the couch. 

Several tension filled moments passed before Blaine finally took a deep breath, but Kurt beat him to it. 

“Can I just say something, before you get started?” he asked. Blaine closed his mouth and nodded. 

Kurt shut his eyes and wrung his hands together. “I know I’m not being fair to you, that I’m shirking on my duties around here...and not being the husband, and the father you need me to be.” 

“That’s not...” 

“No, it is,” Kurt interrupted him. “Tonight, before dinner when Sophie was lying on our bed talking to me...she told me you had said I would be home for dinner, but she thought you were just kidding her,” he paused and put his head in his hands, his voice starting to shake. “And that just about broke me...” 

Blaine bit his lip and nodded tentatively. 

“I don’t want to be that to her...” Kurt stumbled over his words. “The father who may or may not come home, the one she can’t depend on, the one who chooses work over her.”

“Honey,” Blaine whispered, reaching across Kurt’s back to squeeze his neck and shoulder, while rubbing his other hand up and down Kurt’s arm. 

Kurt shook his head and sniffed. “I don’t blame you for being mad at me.” 

“I’m not mad at you.”

Kurt looked up in surprise. “You’re not?”

Blaine shook his head and sighed. “No, I’m worried about you.” 

Kurt huffed out a laugh that quickly turned into a dry sob. 

“I’m serious,” he started, still squeezing Kurt’s shoulder and rubbing his arm. “You’re working so hard, spreading yourself too thin...between Rage and the brand, I’m worried you’re gonna burn out, work yourself to exhaustion before the month is even over.” 

Kurt put his head back into his hands and sobbed out another laugh. 

Blaine shifted on the couch so he was facing Kurt instead of sitting next to him. 

“Kurt...” he started, waiting for him to look up. “When Kate came to us and told us she was going to have to step back this semester, and we made the decision, together, to not hire someone new and wait for her...I knew that these few months would be difficult.” 

Kurt nodded his head but didn't say anything, so Blaine kept going. 

“And it is,” he laughed softly. “Even with Soph in school three days a week, it’s hard and it’s frustrating, and I do get annoyed...” Kurt opened his mouth, like he wanted to interrupt him, but Blaine kept going. “But that’s what it is, an annoyance. I let myself be annoyed, and then I remind myself, that this is just a season...that our lives and our marriage will be full of seasons, and not all of them will be easy.” 

Kurt nodded and reached over to take Blaine’s hand. “I feel like none of them have been easy...for a while now.” 

Blaine nodded and covered their joined hands with his. “I’ve known you for years,” he started after a few quiet moments. “You’ve been my best friend since we were 16 years old...and when you get upset, when you get down and life starts throwing you those curveballs of things you can’t control and you can’t change, you start throwing yourself into things you can control and you can change.” 

Kurt closed his eyes and slowly nodded before bowing his head. Blaine was slightly taken aback. He’d expected a fight out of him...but Kurt seemed too tired to fight, which concerned him even more. 

“I’m worried about you,” he finally sighed. “You are working 15-16 hour days, you aren’t sleeping, you’ve lost weight so I can tell you’re not eating...” he trailed off and shrugged. “And I know how guilty you’ve felt about not being around for Sophie, I get the same way when I’m working eight shows a week and barely get to see her.” 

Kurt lifted his head again and hastily wiped his fingers under his eyes with a tired chuckle. “I almost wish you had been mad at me,” he said, turning his head to smile at Blaine. “At least then I could get mad back and we could argue...now I just feel like I’m letting you down.” 

“You aren’t letting me down. I realized tonight that I would be letting you down if we didn’t talk about this.” 

Kurt turned his head and sighed. He sat up a little straighter but didn't let go of Blaine’s hand. “After Thanksgiving, when everything was so raw and we were still walking on eggshells around each other...I decided to up the collection to a full thirty pieces, get my own investors, and show in Paris, separate from Rage. I did all that, because I needed to. I needed to work and yes, take my mind off everything we had lost. The hurt we were all still feeling and the fear that we would lose Mel because of it.” 

Blaine nodded. He knew most of this and what he didn't know, he had guessed. 

“But then,” Kurt paused to laugh again. “Like everyone told us it would, time started to heal us. Mel came back into our lives, and we started to move on...let the baby we lost become part of us, but not all of us...if that makes sense?” 

“Of course it does, I know exactly what you mean,” Blaine told him. 

Kurt stopped again to take another breath. “But now...now it’s like I’ve started this train on this track, and the train is going, and I’m there and I have to keep the momentum going and get it safely into the station or else it’s gonna crash. And if it crashes, it’s gonna take out everybody I’ve put on that train, including you and Sophie.” 

“That’s a very nice train analogy,” Blaine laughed. 

Kurt shoved him with his shoulder. “Shush you, you know what I mean.”

“I do, but honey...even trains make stops.” 

“Really Blaine? You’re gonna keep going with the train analogy?”

He laughed and dropped Kurt’s hand to pick up one of the pillows on the couch to bop him with. “Hey, you started it.” 

“Yeah yeah,” Kurt chuckled, wiping away one of the tears on his face. 

Blaine tossed the pillow on the couch and opened his arms. “Come’ere.” 

Kurt smiled as he scooted over and fell into his husband’s arms with a sigh. “I’ve missed you.” 

Blaine held him a little tighter and kissed the side of his head. “I’ve missed you, too.” He pulled them out of the hug and cupped his hands on Kurt’s face. “But I think it’s time this train made a stop.”

Kurt rolled his eyes but nodded, giving Blaine a playful grin. 

“So, how about this,” Blaine started, pressing his lips against Kurt’s for a few moments before pulling away, dropping his hands and picking up Kurt’s again. “You pack up for the night." Kurt sniffed and nodded. “You let me take you to bed, give you the best orgasm you’ve had in months, and hold you until you fall asleep.” 

Kurt huffed out a laugh and nodded again, his eyes shining as Blaine kept going.

“Get a full eight hours of rest...then, tomorrow, after breakfast, the three of us will go to your studio.” Kurt eyes grew wide as he smiled. “You can show us what you’ve been working on the past six months, I don't think I’ve ever not seen your collection this close to showtime,” Blaine said and Kurt nodded again. “Then, Soph and I will head out and give you a few hours to work. I know you can’t take a full day off this close to runway, and she’s been bugging me about the Aquarium ever since she had to stay home the day the school went because she was running a fever, so we’ll get out of your hair until around four.” Kurt shook his head in wonder, but was still smiling. “We will come pick you up in time to get back home for Rachel’s fitting. We’ll spend the night together as a family, and you can get one more full night of sleep before you go back to being a crazy workaholic until you leave for Paris in three weeks.” 

Kurt laughed and leaned in to kiss Blaine again. “That all sounds amazing and I’m completely on board....under one condition.” 

Blaine narrowed his eyes and tilted his head. “Yes?”

“You come to Paris with me.” 

Blaine barked out a laugh and threw his head back. “Kurt!” he cried. “I can’t come to Paris with you!”

“Not for the whole 10 days, just for the show,” Kurt insisted. “Isabelle pulled some strings and got me a Sunday afternoon spot. She’s not flying over until Thursday, and told me she would be happy to fly you in with her as a combined birthday/anniversary present.” 

Blaine shook his head but allowed himself to hope for just a moment. “Sophie? What would we do with her?” 

Kurt bounced on the couch once and shook his head. “Rachel and Sam already offered to keep her for the weekend, I asked them yesterday when Iz offered to pay for your plane ticket, then I’ll fly home with you on Monday night. I have the budget to fly you one way. I know it’s not really a vacation, because I’ll be working so much...” he trailed off as Blaine nodded. “But it’s Paris! Plus there will be parties, and dinners, and time alone in a hotel room and....” he paused again and bit his lip. “I need you to be there. I’ve never done this without you before, and even though I know I can...I don’t want to do it without you.”

Blaine stared into his hopeful eyes before finally cracking a smile and nodding. Kurt cried out and lunged into his arms again. 

Later that night, after Blaine helped Kurt pack up his kit and carefully fold the unfinished pieces back into their garment bags, he led Kurt back to their bedroom and locked their door. He pulled off all Kurt’s clothes and used every trick he knew to slowly bring him to the edge until Kurt was coming down his throat, his body spent and pliant under Blaine’s hands. After he had caught his breath, Kurt begged him to work him open and fuck him into the mattress, covering Blaine’s mouth with his own to muffle the moaning of Blaine spilling into him, both of them spent and smiling as they pecked kisses against any patch of skin they could reach. 

Blaine took the time to run a warm washcloth over both of their bodies to clean them up, insisting both of them change into clean pajamas and clean sheets in case they had a visitor in the morning. At last they curled up in bed and were holding each other as they drifted off to sleep, Blaine whispered in Kurt’s ear, “I would have gone to Paris, even if you couldn’t take tomorrow off.”

Kurt hummed and met their lips together once more. “I would have taken tomorrow off, even if you couldn't come to Paris.” 

Spring-April

Sophie giggled as Rachel cuddled and tickled her tummy on the couch where they had been hiding since she and Sam had walked in the door twenty minutes before. Mel crept over and covered both of them with a blanket, all three of them laughing as Kurt walked over and shook his head. 

“Alright Little Miss Thing, it’s past your bedtime,” he started, holding out his hand and motioning for her to follow him. “You got to see everybody, now say goodnight to Aunt Rachel and Aunt Mel and let’s go.” 

Rachel pouted as she gave Sophie one last hug and let her go. Mel dropped a kiss on the top of her head as she walked by. Luke and Sam called goodnight to her as Blaine leaned down to give he a hug before she waved and followed Kurt to her bedroom. 

The ladies walked back to the kitchen to help finish getting dinner on the table and wait for Kurt.

“You know, the whole ‘little kid in bed in time for the dinner party her parents are throwing’, is very Betty Draper circa 1959,” Mel laughed as Kurt walked back into the kitchen twenty minutes later. “Especially with Rosemary Clooney singing in the background.” 

“But who is who?” Rachel asked, passing Kurt the glass of wine she had poured for him. “Blaine has the style, but Kurt has the attitude.” 

Kurt rolled his eyes as he helped Blaine put the final touches on dinner. “If you are gonna compare us to TV couples, I’d rather be Ricky and Lucy...all the class and half the emotional baggage.” 

Mel threw her head back and laughed as Rachel shook her head. “Okay, but don’t expect your Fred and Ethel to move to the suburbs with you...ain't happening.” She stopped and motioned to Mel. “Either one.” 

Mel nodded emphatically and followed both of them to the table with the two plates of caprese salad Blaine had handed her. “Yeah, this Ethel ain’t goin’ nowhere.”

“You two are nuts,” Kurt laughed as he checked to make sure the scallops were still simmering correctly and gave the risotto a quick stir. “This still needs another ten or fifteen minutes, so let’s start...I’m starved.” 

“Yum,” Rachel moaned as she sat down and glanced at the plate of salad in front of her. “I’ve been looking forward to Blaine’s caprese all week!” 

Kurt nodded as he reached over to give his husband’s hand a quick squeeze. “Me too.” 

Blaine preened with the compliment and lifted his glass of wine. “Thanks guys, but before we start--a toast.” 

The sounds of everyone reaching for their glasses rang out as Blaine smiled and leaned his glass toward the middle of the table. “To the toast of Paris, the receiver of rave reviews, and the favorite of many a critic over the last few weeks--Kurt, you were amazing honey.” 

“Here here!” everyone echoed as they clinked glasses together and Kurt blushed, leaning over to peck a quick kiss against Blaine’s lips. 

“And,” Rachel added after everyone had taken a sip. “Here’s to my being on the ‘Best Dressed’ list in this month’s issue of In Touch! That [dress](http://imgfave.com/view/2741449?r=pin) was amazing, Kurt.”

Kurt grinned as everyone clicked their glasses again. “You wore it beautifully,” he insisted, reaching over to squeeze her hand before taking a sip from his glass. 

Rachel shrugged. “It always helps to have your best friend as your stylist.”

“It sure does,” Mel added, nudging Kurt’s shoulder next to her.

Kurt preened and shook his head. “Thanks everybody, you all know how much I love when everyone is talking about me, but let’s eat.” 

“Here Here!” Sam called again, everyone laughing along with him. 

******

After dinner, Kurt served the blackberry crumble he had pulled from the oven right before they started their main course while Blaine made coffee and Sam helped Mel and Rachel clear the table. Luke had ducked out to take a quick phone call, apologizing and promising to help with the dishes when he was done. 

“I mean, I can’t exactly complain...” Mel trailed off as she walked back to the table with the carafe of coffee Blaine had handed her. “We were gone most of December on a cruise, it’s not like I’m starved for a vacation.”

“To Alaska though, not exactly the beach getaway we’re talking about,” Rachel insisted. 

Kurt nodded from across the room. “Blaine and I are taking Sophie to LA this August with Lena to visit Cooper and do the whole Universal Studios/Disney thing...but the week is gonna be so packed, I can’t imagine we will get much beach time in.” 

“I can’t believe we have all been friends for this long and we haven’t gone on some kind of trip together...” Mel trailed off as Luke walked back in and everyone sat back down at the table. 

Blaine nodded as he handed Rachel the soy creamer for her coffee and made sure everyone had clean napkins. “It is kind of amazing, now that I think about it. Sam and I did a road trip type thing in high school, but other than flying home--I don’t think we’ve even done anything like that before.”

“What are we talking about?” Luke asked, sitting down at the foot of the table next to Mel. 

“Rachel and Kurt are planning a beach vacation for all of us,” Mel answered him, gratefully accepting the cup of coffee from Blaine. “Neither of them have ever been up to the Hamptons.” 

Luke nodded with a chuckle.

“I’m serious!” Kurt exclaimed as he bit into his crumble and wiped his mouth before turning to Blaine. “Do we know anyone with a house on the beach?” 

Blaine chewed thoughtfully for a moment before shaking his head. “I don’t think so, not anyone I can think of at least.” 

“My parents had a house when we were kids,” Luke broke in. “We used to go up all the time. They sold it a few years ago, though.” 

“Dang,” Kurt pouted. “I wonder how much it would be to rent a place?” 

Rachel shrugged. She stood up and walked over to grab her phone from where her bag was sitting on the piano. “If we all go in on it, it probably wouldn't be too bad.” 

“Wait, wait,” Blaine spoke up. “Are we really gonna do this?” 

Kurt shrugged as he looked over Mel’s shoulder where she had pulled her phone out as well. “Maybe...doesn't hurt to look, does it?” 

Blaine looked down the table at Luke and shook his head with a smile. Sam was already talking about how he had two weeks in June to play around with, and so did Rachel. They had been talking about going home, but this sounded more fun anyway. Luke took another bite of his crumble and shrugged back at Blaine, pulling out his own phone.

“I’ll text my mom,” he said. “See if she knows anyone who might rent to us for a good deal.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading!!


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Life is made up of seasons. Some seasons are filled with joy, while others try us in ways we never thought possible. This is the story of Kurt and Blaine, with their amazing friend Mel, making the decision to expand their family, dealing with loss, and learning how to heal together.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And what does everyone need after a hard year? A vacation!

Summer-June

Blaine looked at the three cars parked in front of their building. Mel and Luke were packing their last few bags into the trunk of Luke’s BMW. Kurt was arguing with Sophie in the rented van that, yes, she had to ride in her car seat. Burt was packing up the back of the van while Sam and Rachel loaded up his and Kurt’s Prius. 

“I think that’s everything from upstairs, sweetie,” Carole told him, walking by with the bag of toys and games they had packed for Sophie. “I locked the door behind me.” 

“Alright troops!” Blaine called after thanking Carole. “Are we ready to go?”

“Let’s HIT IT!” Sam bellowed. 

“Okay,” Kurt called as everyone started climbing into their respective cars. “Luke is gonna lead us since he’s the only one who's actually been to the Hamptons, but everyone’s GPS has the address entered. So if we get separated, don’t panic and just follow the directions.” 

“Yeah baby!” Rachel yelled, blowing Kurt a kiss. “Beach here we come!” 

“YAY!” Sophie yelled from her car seat in the van as Kurt climbed in next to her and pulled the door shut, Blaine honking the horn as he pulled away from the curb to follow Luke. 

“Are you excited, Miss Sophia?” Carole asked, turning in her seat up front next to Blaine. 

“I am soo excited, Grammy,” Sophie sang, kicking her feet against the back of the empty chair in front of her. Burt smiled from his spot next to her. 

“She packed her whole bag, didn't you monster?” Kurt asked, from his middle row seat. “Picked out all her outfits and all her new swimsuits.” 

“I got two new swimming suits, Grammy!” Sophie called happily as Kurt passed her a coloring book. 

“I can't wait to see them, honey,” Carole smiled before turning back around. 

Sophie played quietly, while her daddies and Burt and Carole chatted as they drove out of the city.

Kurt looked back after about an hour and chuckled to himself. “She’s out,” he told Blaine.

Blaine laughed without taking his eyes off the road. “I’m not surprised. She was up until almost eleven and I think she crawled in bed with us around six.” 

“Speaking of naps,” Burt yawned, leaning back and setting his hat over his face. 

Kurt shook his head as he clicked through a few more emails on his iPad. He wanted to be completely done by the time they made it to the beach. He didn't want to do any work for the week and just concentrate on relaxing with his family. 

It was just over three hours later when they pulled into the driveway of the updated farmhouse in Southport Bay they had rented for the week. The house sat right on a private beach of the bay, where the waves weren't too crazy and just right for a preschooler to play in, and next to a small vineyard. 

They had managed to stay pretty close to each other the entire drive, and Sam and Rachel pulled in soon after Blaine followed Luke. Sophie was itching to get out of her seat and run around. Kurt told her to stay where he could see her as they started carrying things into the house. 

The decor was far more kitschy than Kurt would design, but it had an aspect of how he related to his home in Lima...and he felt comfortable with Sophie being able to investigate and explore without constantly having to monitor her. There would be enough eyes around for he and Blaine to take a break and let her be her crazy self. 

The master bedroom was quickly given to Kurt and Blaine. 

“You guys have Sophie,” Rachel shrugged. “You need the extra space for her.”

Blaine wanted to argue, say they could flip a coin...Kurt pulled him away before he could say another word about it. 

It was pushing five in the evening by the time everyone was settled, a grocery list was made out and plans for a trip to the store were made. Sophie was all but begging to get to the water she’d seen on the drive in, so Burt and Carole promised to stick to the list and they headed to the store on their own. 

Blaine and Kurt each took one of Sophie’s hands and led her down the sandy road, past the small vineyard, to the ocean, with Rachel and Sam following close behind.

“Whatcha think monster?” Blaine asked as Sophie stared out into the vast blue water and kicked sand up with her bare feet. 

“Wow,” was all she said, still holding tight to both of her dads' hands. 

Kurt laughed, nodding along with her. They led her down to the water and just let her explore at her own pace for a few minutes. 

The sun was just starting to set as Kurt pulled his camera out. Sophie stuck her feet in the soft surf and leaned down to inspect the wet sand. Kurt snapped a picture and smiled when she straightened up and showed him a small shell she had found. 

They let her run around for a little while longer, Blaine and Sam chasing after her as Kurt and Rachel walked arm in arm and laughed at the three of them. 

“It’s gonna be a great week, I can already feel it.” Rachel sighed, laying her head on Kurt’s shoulder as they laughed when Sam fell in the water after pretending to throw Sophie into it. 

“Yeah it is.” Kurt agreed. 

******

The first few days flew by. A whirlwind of waking up, cooking and eating breakfast together, then breaking off to do their own thing. Most days, Sophie wanted to go right to the water. She was quite the fish and someone was always willing to walk her down until everyone was ready to follow. 

Kurt had rented two large umbrellas and a few beach chairs from a local vendor for the week. He and Carole stayed under the umbrellas most of the day, careful to keep Sophie covered in sunscreen and in the shade when she needed it. Rachel and Mel tied water floats to to the dock and spent their days lounging and sunning, coming back occasionally for the conversation or a fresh bottle of water. Blaine or Sam would swim Sophie out every so often and she would lay with one of them for awhile, while Kurt nervously watched like a hawk from the beach.

“She could fall in!” he all but cried to Blaine after the first time. 

“I'm never very far away,” Blaine promised. “I trust them to hold on to her, and to know what to do if she did fall. The water is gentle, honey. She will be okay.”

Kurt knew he was right, it didn't stop him from worrying though. 

“If it will make you feel better,” Blaine promised, kissing his cheek, “I’ll make her wear the life vest when she’s out there with them.” 

Lunch was a come and go kind of thing. There was always fresh fruit and veggies cut and ready to go, fixings for any kind of sandwich any of them could want, and Carole kept her famous pasta salad cool and ready to go in the fridge. 

Burt and Luke spent most of their time fishing. A little further down the bay was one of the prime spots to fish. They caught something every day they went out, and Carole and Mel would dutifully eat whatever they brought....even if Sophie told them the fish tasted like balloons. 

Dinner was a family affair. The first night, Kurt and Burt grilled. Steaks and burgers and vegan hot dogs were passed around with Mel’s potato salad and Rachel’s strawberry shortcake for dessert. 

They tried the restaurant at the local inn one night, went to the marina one night, and even drove a little further inland to sample some of Luke’s favorites spots from when he was a kid, including a famous do-it-yourself pizza parlor. 

Sophie was having the time of her life. She laughed and played and ran around to her heart's content. Her dads were thrilled they could give this memory to her, even if they secretly would have preferred a vacation for just the two of them. 

******

“Hey sleepyhead,” Kurt called as Mel walked downstairs to the kitchen on Monday morning. “I was wondering when we’d see you today. Blaine made lemon blueberry pancakes, saved some with your name on 'em.”

“Mmmm, yummy,” Mel moaned, smiling as she kissed his cheek. “Yes, please. Where is everyone?” 

“Blaine and Sam went for a run on the beach, my parents took Sophie to get more groceries and other essentials, and Rachel is...around here somewhere. She might have went down to the beach already, but I’m not sure.”

Mel nodded, accepting the plate with a grin. 

“Are you sad that Luke driving back to the city today?” Kurt asked, passing Mel a cup of coffee as well. 

“Yeah,” she admitted, opening the paper Burt left on the table. “But four days is longer than we had originally thought he would be able to get, so I’ll take those days and be happy...even more happy that I get four more with my best friends.” She smiled. 

“I’ll drink to that.” Kurt agreed, clinking his cup of tea against Mel’s coffee mug.

Just as Mel finished eating her breakfast, Sophie came running in yelling for Kurt.

“Look what me n’ Grampy bought at the store!” she called, skidding to a stop next to Kurt. 

“Army men? Awesome, sweets!” 

“Me n’ Grampy are gonna build a fort in the sand, and then wrage war on Daddy and Uncle Sammy!” 

Kurt laughed, kissing the top of her head. “It’s wage war, baby, but that sounds so fun. Why don't you go put your suit on and I’ll help you with your sunscreen. I think your green striped one is hanging in the bathroom.” 

“Will you come to the beach too, Papa? You can be on our team!” 

Kurt nodded as he pushed her toward the stairs. “Sure, honey,” he promised, just as Burt and Carole walked in the kitchen with three bulging bags of groceries. 

“YAY!” Sophie cried, running up the stairs with Mel following close behind. 

Kurt stood up and carried the dishes into the kitchen. 

“I think we got everything,” Carole told him as Burt kissed her cheek and walked upstairs to change as well. “Has Luke already left? I wanted to throw something together for him to eat.”

Kurt shook his head as he started unloading bags and putting food away. “Not yet, but I think soon. He wants to try and beat all the traffic back into the city. Mel said he was in the shower then needed to finish packing.” 

Carole nodded as Sophie came barreling back downstairs and Sam and Blaine walked in from the porch. 

Blaine threw Sophie up in the air and caught her, laughing as she squealed to get away from him.

“EW Daddy! You’re all sweaty.” 

“Yep!” he laughed. “Think Papa will give me a kiss like this?” he asked, wagging his eyebrows at his husband. 

“Papa certainly will not,” Kurt warned, holding out his hands as Blaine came charging toward him and Sophie screamed with laughter. 

“Go,” Kurt laughed, pushing Blaine off of him with a grin. “Your daughter has declared war on yours and Sam’s houses. You are required to report for duty at the beach to defend your honor.” 

Blaine laughed as he looked down and saw Sophie holding up a bag full of green army men. 

“Nothing would give me more pleasure, ma’dam.” Blaine bowed. “Let me go cool off, eat a powerbar, and change into my trunks. I’ll be ready for you in twenty minutes.” 

“But I wanna go _noooooow_ ,” Sophie wined, sticking her lip out in a pout. 

Kurt was just about to reprimand her when Burt came down the stairs. “I’ll take her down, Rachel’s already there so we’ll get started. Give you guys some time to get ready.” 

“Come here, sweetie,” Carole called, motioning for Sophie. “I’ll get her covered in sunscreen and head down with them, you guys take your time. We’ll keep an eye on her.” 

Kurt nodded and thanked her, heading upstairs behind Blaine. They passed Sam on his way. He threw Blaine a power bar as Blaine explained what they were doing. Sam told them he would get started on their sand fort and see them both on the beach in twenty minutes. 

Kurt rushed over to where Blaine was about to hop in the shower, pulling him back into their bedroom and slamming the door. 

“Hey,” Blaine laughed. “What are you doing?”

“Do you really think I’m gonna waste twenty minutes of kid free time?” Kurt asked, his mouth already on Blaine’s neck. “You smell like sweat and sex, and oh my god Sophie has been sleeping between us for days! I need you right now,” Kurt moaned. 

Blaine groaned as he pushed Kurt back on the bed. 

“God, I love the way you think.” 

******

Tuesday morning dawned gray and cool. The forecast called for rain and thunderstorms all day long. 

“The weatherman says it’s just a small storm, will probably pass over us, be gone and over the ocean by this evening at the latest,” Burt called from his perch in the front of the TV. 

Sophie was stretched out on the floor in front of him, still in her PJ's and coloring in her sketch book. 

“I hate the rain,” she moaned, flopping on her back dramatically. 

Carole walked in the room and handed Burt a second cup of coffee. “You don’t hate the rain, sweetie,” she reminded Sophie gently. “Rain is what makes the flowers grow and gives water for the birds and squirrels. You are just sad that you can’t play outside, and that’s okay to be sad about.” 

Sophie was about to open her mouth and tell her Grammy just how much she really did hate the rain, when she caught her Papa giving her a look that said “be respectful” from the dining room where he was sitting with Aunt Rachel. 

“You know, Kurt,” Rachel started, finishing her last bite of cereal. “We should probably use this rainy day to go check out the amazing shopping everyone is always raving about.” 

“Oooo, yeah,” Kurt agreed, checking his phone. 

Sophie groaned from her spot on the floor. She did not want to go shopping. 

Her Dad and Uncle Sam came in from the back porch and started talking about a movie they had really liked that was still playing at the theater down the road. Burt stood up and walked over to them, saying he would see it again too if they wanted to go.

Sophie threw her arm over her face dramatically. She didn't want to go see some stupid superhero movie either! Why did it have to rain? All she wanted to do was play outside. 

“Hey monster,” Mel announced, interrupting her thoughts. 

Sophie opened her eyes and looked up, Mel was sitting on the floor behind her. “What’s up buttercup?” she asked quietly. 

Sophie shrugged and scooted back until her head was resting in Mel’s lap. Mel smiled as she started running her fingers through Sophie’s hair. 

“I wanna play outside,” Sophie mumbled. “But I can’t cause it’s rainin’.”

“Mmm,” Mel hummed, scratching her fingernails soothingly across Sophie’s scalp. “My mom used to say the only thing a rainy day was good for, was baking cookies and watching movies in your PJ’s.” 

Sophie opened her eyes and nodded her head. 

“Soph,” Kurt interrupted, walking into the living room. “Do you wanna go shopping with me and Aunt Ray, or do you wanna go see a movie with Daddy?”

Mel looked down at Sophie, then looked back up at Kurt. 

“Actually, I think me and the monster are gonna kick it here for the day. Watch some movies, maybe get our baking on,” she told him, Sophie nodding enthusiastically in her lap. 

Kurt grinned. “You sure?” he asked. 

Mel looked down at Sophie. “Yeah, we’re sure,” she assured him when Sophie nodded again and snuggled closer in Mel’s lap. 

******

Sophie was a warm comfortable weight against her chest and on her lap as the little girl snoozed quietly while Ariel sang about wishing she had legs. The whole house still smelled like cinnamon and chocolate as the oatmeal and chocolate chip cookies were cooling in the kitchen and the sound of rain was drumming against the wall of windows covering the porch not far from where the two of them were relaxing on the couch. 

Mel sighed as she pushed the little girl’s hair away from her face and kissed her forehead gently. Sophie slept on. 

She looked over when her phone pings with a message from Blaine-

Hey, our movie just let out and we are gonna meet up with Rachel and Kurt for a late lunch. Do you want us to come and pick up Sophie? Do you need some kid-free time? 

Mel smiled as she adjusted herself and Sophie on the couch so they are both laying down, Sophie now cuddled into her side. 

_That’s okay :) She’s actually fast asleep and we threw back some PB &J’s a little while ago. We’re good. _

Mel was fast asleep as well by the time the responding :) from Blaine pinged back. 

******

Thursday, their last full day, was bright and sunny, with the waves cresting on the beach just enough that Sophie could sit and have them topple her over while she giggled. She swam back and forth from her papa to her daddy, showing them all she had learned that week. 

Sophie and Rachel made homemade popsicles that afternoon from the rest of their fruit and juice. She and Sam ate three of them after her nap, running back to the ocean to play for a few more hours before dinner. 

Kurt took one last [picture](http://images.smh.com.au/2010/04/15/1327415/girl_beach_420-420x0.jpg) of her on the beach, running toward the Frisbee Blaine had thrown her. 

They went to the marina for dinner. When they got back to the house, Burt built a fire in the pit and they made s'mores for dessert. Everyone sat around the fire long into the night, talking and laughing, Sophie was fast asleep on Blaine’s lap, no one ready to call it a night on their last full day of vacation. 

One by one they started giving in and by eleven everyone had finally headed upstairs, deciding that they should get some rest for the three hour drive back to the city the next day. 

The house had been quiet for over an hour. The wind and distant sounds of the ocean were the only noise as Mel waited anxiously on the other side of Kurt and Blaine’s door. 

She didn't normally do this; knock on their door so late at night. But she could clearly see their lights were still on, and could hear them talking quietly to one another. When she finally worked up the courage to knock lightly, Blaine's “come in” was very welcoming.

“Hey,” she said, keeping her voice soft when she saw Sophie fast asleep next to Blaine on the bed. 

“Hi,” Blaine answered brightly. “Can’t sleep?” he asked, setting his tablet down and taking off his glasses. 

Mel shrugged, smiling when Kurt walked in from the bathroom pulling on a gray tank top over his black cotton sleep pants. He was rubbing lotion into his hands and arms, grinning at her as well and sitting on the other side of Sophie.

“Yes and no,” she started, sitting on the end of their bed. “I just got off the phone with Luke actually. I've been thinking about something for the past few weeks, and I wanted to come talk to you guys about it.”

Kurt suddenly looked concerned. “Are you okay? Is anything wrong?” 

“No, no,” she rushed to assure him, allowing herself to smile a little. “I’m fine, everything's fine. I promise.” 

Kurt sighed and nodded, relief evident on his face. 

“I’ve just been thinking a lot lately, and after spending the day with Soph on Tuesday...” Mel trailed off, looking down and playing with the hem of her sleep shorts. She finally looked up, smiling. “I’m ready.”

Blaine’s eyes filled and Kurt’s jaw dropped. 

“Are-” Blaine paused to clear his throat. “Are you sure?” 

Mel nodded. “I’m sure,” she promised. “You guys have been so amazing. Never making me feel rushed and giving me time and letting me just...” she trailed off again. “I’m ready,” she repeated, nodding her head as Kurt walked over to her and wrapped his arms around her. Blaine stepped over a few moments later and wrapped his arms around both of them. 

Kurt laughed as he kissed her cheek and pulled her into another hug, even tighter than before. “Best vacation, ever,” he whispered. 

Fall-October

Kurt smacked the alarm going off by his head. 

“Nope,” he groaned. “No way it’s already six thirty, I just laid down.” 

Blaine sat up next to him and chuckled, leaning over to kiss his forehead. “I’ll make the coffee,” he promised, standing up and grabbing a cardigan. 

Kurt groaned again. He stood up and moaned his way to the bathroom, the stone floor tiles cold under his feet. The shower took forever to warm up, as it always did. He brushed his teeth and moaned once more for good measure before climbing in and starting his morning routine. 

“Leave the water on, Kurt. I’m gonna jump in as soon as you’re done,” Blaine called around a mouthful of toothpaste. 

Kurt pushed the curtain back and wiped his face with his towel. “I’m done,” he told him, pulling on his robe as he started moisturizing his face.

Kurt dressed in the slacks and button up his husband had steamed for him the night before, then headed out to get Sophie started on her day as well. 

By seven thirty Sophie was munching on a bowl of cereal and talking a mile a minute about Kate taking her to the Natural Museum of History that afternoon.

“Honey, that sounds really cool, but don’t talk with your mouth full,” Kurt instructed, pulling her long hair into a ponytail with a ribbon that matched her uniform. 

“Oh man, I’m running so late,” Blaine called, hurrying into the kitchen to pour a travel mug with coffee and grab a piece of the toast Kurt had made for them. 

“One o'clock, right?” Blaine asked, leaning down to kiss Sophie goodbye. 

“Yes, 1:00 p.m.. I’m gonna work from home this morning, so I’ll take Mel.” 

“Bye honey, have a good day,” Blaine told Sophie, standing up for a quick peck from Kurt. “Great, I’ll meet you guys there.” 

“BYE DADDY!” Sophie yelled as Blaine hurried down the hallway and out the door. 

It wasn't much longer before Kurt was leading a chattering Sophie out the door of their building into the cool fall air, walking hand in hand the six blocks to her school. 

“Well Soph, I think autumn may officially be here,” Kurt decided, swinging her hand as they walked. He loved taking the time to walk her to school. Very often they were in a rush and he had to quickly drop her off before he could catch another cab. It was a beautiful day and his daughter was full of laughter as they passed some of their favorite spots in their neighborhood. “What season comes after Autumn?” 

“WINTER!” Sophie cried. 

“That’s right! What happens in the winter?”

“It gets really cold and Santa comes!” 

Kurt laughed and nodded as they walked up the block and to her school. Kurt walked her in, waved his hello to one of her teachers and helped her put away her jacket and book bag. 

“Bye sweetie, have a good day.,” he told her, leaning down to adjust the strap on her uniform and kiss her cheek. “Kate is gonna pick you up after school, Daddy and I have an appointment with Aunt Mel.”

“K, bye Papa!” Sophie called, not even sparing Kurt a second glance as she ran off to find a friend and start playing. 

After a quick chat with another parent about an upcoming fundraiser for the school he caught Sophie's eye and waved one last time. He grabbed a coffee and bagel at the bakery down the street from her school, before taking his time getting home, sipping his coffee as he walked. 

After cleaning the kitchen and monitoring a conference call, he sat down at the table, set out his piles and got to work. He didn't even realize it was past noon when he heard someone come in the door. 

“Hiya handsome,” Mel called, walking through the hallway and into the kitchen.

Kurt looked up and smiled. 

She looked so cute in one of the new maternity dresses he’d finished making her, just barely accentuating the tiny bump of baby that had popped out a little over a week ago. 

“Hey,” he called. “Ready to go?” 

Mel laughed and nodded. “I am, are you?” 

Kurt smirked and stood up. He pushed his computer back into his bag and stood up. “Blaine’s meeting us there.” 

“Sounds like a plan,” Mel agreed. 

A cab was just driving by as they started down the block, Kurt flagged it down and they sped off downtown. 

******

Kurt was scrolling through his phone when Blaine walked into the waiting room of Mel’s OB-Gyn. 

“Hey,” he called brightly, squeezing Kurt’s shoulder before sitting down next to him. “Mel already in there?” 

Kurt put his phone down and looped his arm through Blaine’s. “Yep,” he nodded. “They are gonna call us when she’s ready for her sonogram.” 

Blaine nodded as he crossed his legs and put his hand over Kurt’s on his arm, giving it a quick squeeze. 

They chatted idly about work and dinner plans for a little while, Kurt’s leg bouncing nervously as they chatted, before a nurse finally came to get them. 

The tech laughed when they walked into the room. “She wouldn't let us start until you guys were here,” he told them. 

Blaine kissed her head and took her hand when they walked up, Kurt standing next to him. 

“Yeah, she’s pretty bossy,” Kurt joked. 

“Damn straight,” Mel agreed. 

The tech laughed again as he squirted the blue gel on Mel’s little belly and started moving the wand around her stomach. 

He pushed a few buttons on the ultrasound machine, and grinned. “Okay, there’s your baby,” he said, pointing to the screen. 

Kurt sighed out a small sob and took a deep breath. Blaine held both Kurt and Mel’s hands and nodded, bringing them both up to his chest as Mel wiped a small stray tear from her eye. 

“And there’s the heartbeat,” he said, pointing to the screen again where they could all clearly see a little fluttering. “Let’s see if we can hear it.”

The tech pushed a few more buttons on the machine and Blaine leaned over to kiss the side of Kurt’s head as the steady whoosh whoosh whoosh filled the room. 

“There it is,” he sang softly. “Sounds great, guys.” 

Mel nodded, covering her eyes as she let a few more tears fall down her face. 

“Unfortunately I’m not getting a clear enough picture to measure anything, so we’ll have to do the vaginal ultrasound as well,” the tech said, wiping her belly and putting the doppler back in its holder. “Do you want some privacy?” 

Mel shook her head and squeezed Blaine’s hand tighter. “No, they can stay. I want them to stay.” 

After he had gotten Mel situated a little better, he grabbed the new wand and restarted the ultrasound. They all looked back up at the screen as the picture came back up and the heartbeat started up again. 

“There we go, much clearer.”

Kurt smiled at the screen, he didn't see any difference but the tech must have because he was highlighting and typing buttons while they watched. 

“So,” The tech started, freezing the screen and setting the wand back on the cart. “Do we want to know the sex?” 

Mel looked up in surprise. “Wait, you can already tell?” 

The tech nodded. “I’ve got a pretty clear picture from this angle, I can tell.” 

Kurt and Blaine looked at each other and nodded. “Yeah, we wanna know the gender,” Kurt said, looking at Mel to make sure. 

“Congratulations,” he grinned. “It’s a boy.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading! You can ask any questions or just say hi on my tumblr, [ notthatbea](notthatbea.tumblr.com).


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Life is made up of seasons. Some seasons are filled with joy, while others try us in ways we never thought possible. This is the story of Kurt and Blaine, with their amazing friend Mel, making the decision to expand their family, dealing with loss, and learning how to heal together.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another short one this week, but super cute and fluffy! Sophie is a flower girl and her daddies have some big news for her.

The week after Thanksgiving was a quiet one. Like the year before, Kurt and Blaine had flown home to spend the holiday in Ohio with their families and all three of them were still recovering from the trip. Sophie had come down with a small cold, so Blaine had kept her home from school to spend the day resting. The two of them were snuggling on the couch, Sophie flipping through one of her books and pointing out letters while Blaine helped her sound out the words, when Kurt came home. 

“Sophie!” Kurt called down the hallway when he walked through the door. “A package came for you today!” 

“For me?” Sophie asked, standing up and clapping her hands. 

“For you, honey,” Kurt smiled.. 

“Ooo, Sophie!” Blaine laughed, reaching down to squeeze her shoulders. “Whaddya think is in there, sweetie?”

“Umm, chocolate?” Sophie guessed. 

Kurt laughed as he pulled his keys from his pocket to cut the tape on the big square box. “That would be a lot of chocolate, honey.” 

“A MONKEY!” 

Blaine giggled as he nuzzled the top of her head. “Maybe, let’s see!” he laughed as Kurt pulled the cardboard mailing box apart to reveal a second white dress box. 

“Oooo, I bet I know what it is!” Kurt cooed. 

“What? WHAT!?” Sophie yelled, hopping from one foot to the other as Kurt opened the white dress box. 

“It’s your flower girl dress!” Kurt announced, Blaine gasping from where he was kneeling down beside her. “Remember when Maya asked you to be in her wedding a few months ago and we practiced how you’re gonna drop the petals? It’s coming up next weekend.” 

Sophie scrunched up her face as her Papa pulled out the biggest, poofiest white dress she had ever seen and held it up for her to see. 

“Oh my goodness, honey.” Blaine cooed, squeezing Sophie tightly before standing up to smile down at her. “You are gonna make that dress look so pretty!” 

“I can’t wear that,” Sophie grumbled, turning up her nose at the dress and crossing her arms. “It’s so...fluffy.” 

“Well, honey...” Kurt started, laying the dress carefully back in the box. “It’s the dress Maya picked out for you to wear. It probably matches with the rest of the wedding party.”

Sophie dropped her head back and whined. “Can’t I just wear some of my own clothes?” she asked, pouting her lips at them. 

Blaine shook his head and knelt down to look Sophie in the eye again. “No, Sophie. If you wanna be in Maya’s wedding, you have to wear the dress she picked out for you.”

Kurt walked around and sat in the chair behind his daughter, turning her to look at him. 

“What’s up, Soph?” he asked, rubbing her arms a bit. “It’s just like when you wear a tutu for ballet class, right?” 

Sophie shook her head and pouted. “No, that’s a costume. I don’t want to wear a big itchy dress. I hate them.” 

Kurt and Blaine looked at each other and nodded. Sophie had never really been into the big frilly dresses, she just hadn't ever had the interest for them. Ever since she was old enough to dress herself, she’d been very particular about what she would, and would not wear. She liked to wear skirts, but on her terms. She loved to wear sparkly shoes and put bows in her hair, but she hated the big frilly dresses that made it hard for her to sit down, and made her legs itch. She didn't even have all that many dress up clothes, and never really got into many of the Disney princess movies. She was her own person, and her dads had always encouraged that about her. 

“Well, honey,” Blaine started, turning Sophie so she was facing him. “You don’t have to be in Maya’s wedding if you don’t want to. We aren’t going to force you to do something that you don’t want to do.” 

Kurt nodded his head in agreement when Sophie turned her head around to look at him. 

“But, if you do want to be her flower girl and be in her wedding...then you have to wear the dress she picked out for you,” Blaine finished. 

“It’s your decision though, Soph,” Kurt reiterated. 

Sophie turned her head to look at the dress and sighed. “Can I try it on first, before I decide?” 

Kurt grinned and nodded his head. “Sure. I’ll help you,” he told her, picking up the dress and holding out his hand for her to take. 

******

Morning sex had become a thing of the past over the last year. As soon as they moved her from her crib to her toddler bed, Sophie started climbing into bed with them as soon as she woke up. They had finally gotten her to the point where she respected the weekend only rule, so they both felt bad about discouraging her from doing it, and it usually afforded them another hour of sleep. She would lie between them, snoozing or playing on her tablet until her growling tummy won out and she woke one of them up. 

Kurt was the one to get up with her the morning of Maya and Callie’s wedding. Blaine had been out late the night before for a long running rehearsal, so Kurt let him sleep a little longer. 

Kurt put Sophie into the bathtub right after she finished her Saturday morning pancakes. Blaine came down the hall just as Kurt was leading their slippery daughter to her bedroom to change. 

“Breakfast is on the counter,” Kurt told him as they passed in the hallway. “Do you want me to put anything into her hair besides her detangler?”

Blaine shook his head as he headed toward the kitchen. “No, I’m gonna play around with her curls while they are still wet; see what I can get them to do.” 

Kurt nodded as he walked behind Sophie to help her. 

Thirty minutes later, Kurt walked into their bedroom to find his daughter sitting at his vanity, his husband standing behind her, both of their faces scrunched in a comically similar way. Blaine was using the hairdryer on its lowest setting to set the curls around the twisted bun he had manipulated her hair into. 

“We need to leave in the next hour,” Kurt informed him as he grabbed his suit from where Blaine had ironed and set it out for him. “And you still need to shower.” 

Blaine nodded as he picked up Kurt’s bottle of hairspray and told Sophie to cover her eyes. 

“Yeah. I’m just about done here. If you can get her dressed, I’ll jump in.” 

Kurt nodded as he stood in front of the bathroom mirror to knot his tie and used the can of hairspray he kept by the sink on his own hair. 

“We should probably throw one of my extra cans in the bag as well,” he mused to himself as Sophie pranced into the bathroom and stood at his hip.

“How do I look, Papa?” 

Kurt smiled down at her and kissed the top of her forehead. “Just beautiful, dahling,” he drawled as she giggled. “Let’s go get your dress on so Daddy can use the bathroom.” 

Forty-five minutes later and Kurt was snapping picture after picture of [Sophie](https://www.pinterest.com/pin/324399979382789096/) with his phone as she twirled in the hallway for him, both of them giggling. Blaine double and tripled checked the bag they had packed, held out their coats and scarves, and made sure he had his phone, keys, and wallet. 

“Alright you two, let’s go or we are gonna be late,” Blaine announced, shepherding both of them into the hallway as Kurt continued to hold Sophie’s hand up so she could twirl around and giggle. 

“The party can’t start till I get there!” she sang as both of her dads laughed. 

******

The wedding was filled with Broadway royalty. Maya was a Tony award winning actress that Rachel and Kurt had known since NYADA and Blaine had acted with a few times. Callie was a well known hair, make-up and costume designer. The two had worked on many a show together and were tying the knot after almost ten years together. 

Kurt made the joke in the car that understudies across the Great White Way were rejoicing tonight. 

Kurt squeezed past Sam and Rachel to sit next to Blaine at the end of the second row pew. 

“How’s she doing?” Blaine whispered as the music started. 

Kurt squinted and shrugged. “Her legs itch and her arms are cold,” Kurt informed him, looping his arm through his husband's elbow. “But the petals are pretty and she’s excited for that.” 

Blaine chuckled as he turned in the pew to watch the few brides-attendants make their way down the aisle in front of Sophie. Rachel squealed and held up her phone when Sophie started walking, tossing handfuls of petals as she walked. Blaine held up two thumbs and grinned at his daughter, while Kurt waved and continued to film her with their camera. 

Sophie paused at the end of their aisle and popped her hand on her hip, posing for Rachel to take a picture. All four of them laughed quietly, while Blaine motioned for her to keep walking. 

“That is your daughter all the way, mister,” Rachel whispered to Kurt as Sophie continued down the aisle before rounding the front pew and climbing up into Rachel's lap for the ceremony. 

Kurt grinned and kissed the top of her head. 

******

“Papa?” Sophie asked from Kurt’s elbow as he finished his conversation with one of their table mates. Rachel and Sam were off chatting and Blaine had left the table to freshen their drinks not long before. 

“Is it time for cupycakes yet?” she asked, eyeing the cake table as the lights around the museum dimmed once again. 

Kurt laughed and kissed the top of her head as Blaine walked up and sat on the other side of her, handing Kurt a second glass of champagne and a bottle of water for Sophie.

“Not yet, honey.” Blaine told her, taking a sip from his own champagne flute. 

Sophie crossed her arms and sat back in the chair. Kurt eyed her carefully and knew she was fading fast. 

They had already changed her out of the frilly fluffy dress from the wedding, and into a simpler [one](https://www.pinterest.com/pin/324399979382789100/) Kurt had let her pick out, and Blaine had been letting her play with the tablet they had packed for her; but it wasn't like a wedding was exactly kid friendly...and it had been a long day for a four year old. 

He was just about to turn to Blaine to ask if they should head out when the band leader/Emcee’s voice came over the speaker calling for the father-daughter dance. 

“And Maya and Callie want to invite all the daddies and daughters up here to dance with them!” 

Blaine turned to grin at Kurt before leaning down to Sophie. “Whatcha think Soph, wanna dance with me and Papa?” 

Sophie looked up and nodded, holding her hand out for Kurt to help her up. Blaine took her other hand and she walked between them to the dance floor. 

As the [song](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=COQPSoRFdwg) started, the three of them held hands and swayed with the music. Sophie giggled as they twirled her around between them and laughed at her. After a few minutes, the song started to pick up a little. Blaine looked over and watched Callie and Maya dancing with their dads, both of them laughing and smiling. 

He looked down as Sophie twirled around, then held up her arms. Blaine grinned as he pulled her up. He settled her on his hip and kissed the side of her head where she laid it on his shoulder. Kurt closed in on them and brought his own hands up to Blaine’s shoulders, the two of them swaying with the music with Sophie between them. 

Kurt grinned as he leaned in to meet his lips against his husband's. 

He looked over and caught Rachel’s eye. She was standing on the side of the dancefloor. Sam’s arms were around her as she held up her phone, snapping picture after picture of the three of them. She was grinning as she wiped tears from her eyes and leaned into her husband’s embrace. 

He turned back to his little family and grinned again, kissing Sophie’s back as the song wound down and Blaine laughed. “I’m pretty sure she just fell asleep.” 

He turned around so Kurt could catch a peek at her and Kurt laughed. “Yep, she’s out.” 

Blaine shook his head as the three of them followed Rachel and Sam back to their table. Sam headed off to be first in line after the brides finished cutting their cake. 

“I wish I could fall asleep as easily as she can.” Blaine mused, nodding to Kurt when he suggested they should probably head out. 

Rachel laughed as she leaned in to smile and rubbed her hand down Sophie’s back. “It’s cause there’s no place better than daddy’s arms.” 

Kurt snorted out a laugh as he packed up her bag. “I wish it had been that easy when she was a baby,” as he paused to take a sip from his champagne flute. “She didn't get the nickname 'monster' for no reason, you know.” 

Sam walked back over with three plates of cake, and three cupcakes wrapped in a napkin. Rachel gratefully accepted the armful of little girl so Blaine could pull on his coat and scarf. 

“Here guys, figured you would wanna take your dessert to go,” Sam announced, handing the cupcakes over as well as one of the slices of cake. 

Blaine offered his thanks as he helped Rachel maneuver Sophie into her coat before taking the sleeping baby back and kissed Rachel’s cheek in goodbye. 

“You guys have fun, I’ll talk to you tomorrow,” Kurt called, giving each of his friends a squeeze before throwing Sophie's bag over his shoulder and carrying their dessert. 

“Oh,” he paused, turning to Rachel to kiss her cheek once more. “And will you tell Maya and Callie goodbye for us? They look busy and we need to get her home.” 

Rachel nodded and waved again as they walked out the door of the New York Public Library at Lincoln Center and down the steps to hail a cab. 

******

Mel was already at the table, sipping her one allotted cup of caffeinated coffee, when Sophie stumbled in the next morning, rubbing her eyes and yawning. Her still product-crunchy hair was pushed to the side of her head from sleep as she pressed her face into the back of Kurt’s legs where he was standing at the stove flipping the second batch of crepes. 

“Morning sweetie,” he laughed, turning to hug her against him and rub her back for a few seconds. “Be careful, the stove is hot. Can you be a super big helper for Papa and take these napkins to the table? Make sure every place setting has one!” 

Sophie nodded and Blaine dropped a kiss on the top of her head when he passed her. She climbed up in Mel’s lap after she had passed out the napkins and the two of them watched Blaine and Kurt finish setting the table with breakfast. It only took a few more minutes for Kurt to finish cooking and stuffing the crepes. Just enough time for Blaine to finish cutting the fruit he'd been working on, and Mel moved Sophie to her booster seat. 

Mel moaned with her first bite of the Nutella and turkey bacon stuffed crepe while Kurt and Blaine agreed with satisfied noises of their own. Mel asked Kurt about the wedding and the meal went on from there...a Sunday morning tradition that had developed over the past year. Sometimes they went out, sometimes Luke joined them, or Rachel and Sam...sometimes not, but it was a tradition they stuck with as much as possible. 

Today the decision was made to stay in, as they had some pretty important news for Sophie. Mel had called Blaine on Friday and told him she had started feeling the first little flutters of movement from the baby she was carrying. Both Kurt and Blaine had decided it was time for the little girl to know so she had time to get used to the idea and they could answer any questions she may have.

“Sophie, honey...” Kurt started once he had wiped his mouth with his napkin. He smiled and pushed some of the bed mussed hair from her eyes. “Do you remember a few months ago, when Brandon in your class brought his new baby brother for show and tell?”

Sophie nodded as she licked one of her Nutella covered fingers and set down her fork to grab the napkin Blaine was holding out for her to use. “His name was Cody and he slept the whole time! Even though everyone was really loud and Ms. Kathy said babies need lots of peace and quiet to sleep.” 

Blaine laughed as he finished cutting her crepe into more manageable bites and nodded. “Ms. Kathy was right, babies need lots of peace and quiet to sleep. But Soph, what would you think about having your own little baby brother...here?” 

Sophie turned to look at him. “Like, for always?” 

Blaine rubbed her back again and nodded. "For always, yeah. What would you think about that?" 

Sophie looked up at him for a long minute and both men held their breath while Mel looked on with a sympathetic smile. "Where would he sleep? Do I have to share my room with him?" she finally asked with a hint of panic in her voice. 

"No honey," Kurt rushed to assure her and leaned down to kiss the top of her head. "Daddy and I are looking for a bigger apartment so you and he can have your own bedrooms, but he will probably sleep in our room with us for a little while. At least while he is really small." 

Sophie nodded. "Like I did when I was a baby?" 

Blaine chuckled and pushed her hair away from her face again. "Just like you did when you were a tiny baby," he agreed. 

“But...” Sophie started after she’d picked up her fork again. “How will my baby brother get here?” 

Kurt glanced over at Mel who gave him a wink and sat back a little. “Well honey, you know the book Aunt Mel made for you, we read it once in a while?” He kept going after Sophie nodded. “And it says that you grew in Aunt Mel’s tummy, until the day you were born and Daddy and I brought you home with us to make our family?” 

“Yes, it has pictures of me as a baby.” 

Kurt sighed and chuckled softly, looking at Blaine and smiling over Sophie’s head. “Right, well your little brother will get here in the same way.”

Blaine rubbed his hand down her back. “He is growing in Aunt Mel’s tummy until the day he’s big enough to be born. Then he’ll come home to our family, you and me and Papa.” 

Sophie cocked her head to the side as she finished chewing and took a sip from her cup of milk. “But, Brandon's mommy...she had his baby brother and then when they came home they all stayed together.” 

“Well,” Blaine started, sharing a look with Kurt. “Remember when we talk about families?" he asked her. "And how some families have two daddies, or two mommies, or a mommy and a daddy, or just a mommy and the daddy lives in another house?" 

"Yes...or my friend Cora who lives with her grandma." 

Kurt smiled and rubbed his hand down her arm a few times. "Exactly like that, baby. Families are made up lots of different ways. That is how they make their family, and this is how we make ours." 

"So I don't have a mommy, because I have an Aunt Mel?" Sophie asked, confusion still in her voice, but not like she was upset...just curious. Blaine and Kurt shared a look over her head and both took a deep breath. Kurt decided it was the easiest way for her to understand the situation for her age and gave Blaine a small nod. 

"Yes, sweet pea," Blaine started with a fond smile and his eyes welling up just a bit. "We make our family with you and me and Papa. We also make our family with Aunt Mel, and with Uncle Sam and Aunt Rachel, and Uncle Cooper and _Lola_ and Grandpa, and Grampy and Grammy. You have so many people that love you so much and will love your baby brother when he gets here.”

“Yeah you do,” Kurt said softly as he kissed the top of her head again. 

"So my little brother is in there?" Sophie asked, pointing to Mel's growing belly. Mel nodded and set her hand over the small bump of baby under her skin. 

"Yep," she answered. "He's not moving around right now, but sometimes he does...do you wanna feel, see if he starts?" 

Sophie's face clouded a little and she shook her head. "No, not right now." 

"That's fine honey," Kurt rushed to assure her and rubbed her back again soothingly. 

“Do you have any other questions, Soph?” Blaine asked after a few moments of quiet passed. 

Sophie thought for another moment. “Can I go wash my hands? I’m done.” 

Mel and Blaine tried to hold in their laughter as Kurt nodded with a smile. “Of course, I’ll get your plate, it’s sticky.” 

After she was safely out of the room Mel and Blaine both let go with a little giggle. “That seemed to go okay,” Mel said with a sigh as she took her last sip of coffee. 

Kurt nodded as Blaine stood up to start clearing the table. “She’ll probably have more questions later on...but she’s a smart kid. I think she gets it as much as a four year old can at this point.” 

“Kids are as smart as you allow them to be,” Kurt added as he stood up to start the dishes. “All we can do is read the books and answer any question as honestly as possible, and just continue to let her know how much we love her, to prepare her for the change.” 

Mel grinned and stood up as well. “What can I do to help?" 

Kurt shook his head and pointed to her chair. "Park it right there and relax," he insisted as Mel rolled her eyes but sat back down. 

Blaine laughed and squeezed her shoulder before he finished clearing the table. 

"As soon as we get the kitchen cleaned up," Kurt started, rinsing dishes and loading the dishwasher, "I'll get the monster dressed and we can head out to my studio. I promised Blaine a kid-free loft for the afternoon so he could get some work done, so we'll take her with us to get the rest of your new maternity clothes finished. She's been excited since Friday when I told her she could come with us." 

"Sounds like a plan to me," Mel answered with a sigh.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading!


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Life is made up of seasons. Some seasons are filled with joy, while others try us in ways we never thought possible. This is the story of Kurt and Blaine, with their amazing friend Mel, making the decision to expand their family, dealing with loss, and learning how to heal together.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Christmas in New York and in Connecticut. Warnings for mentions of Finn. Also an intoxicated sister-in-law that has some not nice things to say to Mel. This is the chapter with Blaine and his dad. I've always had some pretty persistent thoughts about Blaine’s relationship with his dad so this was interesting to finally write out. I hope you enjoy!

Kurt and Sophie were at the kitchen counter when Blaine walked in the door. He slipped off his wet boots at the door and called out as he walked further into the loft. 

“Hello family!” 

“Hi Daddy!” Sophie called, licking red frosting off her finger and smiling. 

“Hi honey,” Blaine replied, leaning in to meet his lips against Kurt’s in hello. “Did I miss the cookie cutting?” he asked after taking off his coat and walking over to the sink to wash his hands. 

“Papa did that while Sophie was napping.” Kurt gave Blaine a knowing look. 

“I did some!” Sophie protested, smearing more frosting onto a cookie shaped like a stocking. 

“Yes you did, baby.” 

Blaine masked a chuckle into his arm so Sophie wouldn't see and picked up one of Kurt’s frosting spatulas. He started smearing white frosting onto a cookie shaped like a snowman as carefully as possible.

Kurt was using a piping bag to decorate the snowflake cookies he was sending to Sophie’s school for their holiday party. He had cut enough for a dozen or so to go to the school, with plenty of others for the three of them to decorate and leave out for Santa and their family. 

Sophie babbled on about this and that as she decorated a handful of cookies, more interested in eating the candies Kurt had laid out and licking her own frosting tools than getting any decorating done. She lost interest after about an hour. Blaine made sure she was completely wiped down before she wandered to her bedroom to play. 

“What time do we need to head out?” Blaine asked, the two of them quietly working and listening to their record player belt out all the classic Bing Crosby holiday tunes. 

Kurt stretched his neck to look at the clock on the microwave. 

“Mel and Luke will be here at seven and Sam is meeting us there.” 

Blaine nodded as he set the final frosted cookie in the tin Kurt kept for this very reason. He washed his hands, then crept up behind Kurt and wrapped his hands around his husband's waist, kissing the back of Kurt’s neck and nuzzling his nose against the soft skin under Kurt’s ear. 

Kurt huffed out a laugh, leaning into the embrace and turning his head to press his lips against his husband’s. 

“Mmm, hi,” he mumbled, setting down the cookie he was working on and smiling into the next kiss.

“Hi,” Blaine grinned back, squeezing one more time before standing up. 

“I’ll get Sophie started, you finish up in here?” 

Kurt nodded. 

By the time Mel and Luke knocked on their door, the kitchen was cleaned up and Blaine was helping Sophie into her coat and scarf. 

Kurt came down the hall, his and Blaine’s coats over his arm with the backpack they still carried for Sophie in his hand. 

“You sure you’re up for this?” Kurt asked Mel, handing Blaine his coat and motioning for Sophie so he could fix her hat. Her curls were as unruly as ever, but Blaine had attempted to braid the front part to at least keep it out of her face. 

Mel nodded, setting her hand on her growing belly. “We’re good. This coat still fits me, and I wanna hear Rachel sing,” she told them. “I’ll let you know if I need to sit down or something.” 

Blaine nodded as he pulled on his coat. 

“Alright then, let's head out,” Kurt announced. He shepherded everyone out the door, grabbing his keys and wallet from the bowl before pulling the door shut behind them. 

******

“I don’t think I’ll ever be over Christmas in New York,” Blaine announced, shifting a sleeping Sophie on his hip as they walked. 

The winter concert at Bryant Park had been lovely, but it was getting late and cold. Mel and Luke had decided to head off with Rachel and Sam to grab a late dinner. Kurt and Blaine, knowing they needed to get Sophie to bed, had declined. They stopped for burgers at Southwest Porch to take home before walking to the subway station down the block. 

Kurt adjusted the glove on Sophie’s hand and smiled at his husband. “Me neither. There’s just something about New York at Christmas, when everything is lit up,” Kurt sighed as they walked through the crowds of people bundled up tight against the cold December wind. “It’s almost magical.” 

Blaine nodded, kissing Sophie’s forehead as they walked. “Think this will be the first Christmas she remembers?” 

Kurt slipped his arm through his husband's as they continued down the path. “I hope so,” he shrugged. “What’s the first one you remember?” 

Blaine sighed and nodded. “I was about her age, I suppose. I remember Cooper got one of those electric race car tracks. It took him and my dad all Christmas Day to set up.” 

Kurt smiled at the memory as they walked down the stairs of the 42nd street subway station. He pulled his metro card from his wallet, then reached over to maneuver Blaine's wallet from his pants pocket to retrieve his as well. 

“Cooper wouldn't let me play with it, of course,” Blaine continued as they walked toward the train they would need, rolling his eyes but smiling. “My dad made him let me push the release button a few times though. I don’t know why I never wanted one when I was older, I never remember asking for one.” 

They waited a few quiet moments for the train and quickly boarded once it slowed to a stop in front of them.

“What about you?” Blaine asked after they found a seat for Blaine and the train took off. “What’s the first one you remember?” 

Kurt gently played with the hair that was spilling out from underneath Sophie's black hat while holding the pole in front of them. “I think I was about four or so...” he trailed off. “Santa brought me my tea set and table. My mom made little cakes and we put on her hats and had a tea party. I was pretty young, and she wasn't sick yet...so I was probably around four or five.” 

Blaine grinned as he rubbed his hand up and down Sophie's back and nodded. “It’s gonna be a great Christmas.” 

******

“Okay sweetheart,” Mel started as she held Sophie’s hand tight in hers. “We have a new scarf for Papa, what do you want to get for Daddy?” 

Sophie looked around and sighed. Bloomingdales was completely decorated for the holiday season. Red, silver, gold, and green ribbons were hanging from the ceiling and giant baubles hung from anything and everything that stood still long enough to be decorated. The air smelled of candied pecans and Bing Crosby sang through the speakers as hundreds of shoppers milled about finishing their lists three days before Christmas Eve. 

Sophie swung her Aunt Mel’s hand as she spied neckties in the men’s department and gasped. “A new bow tie!” she cried. 

Mel laughed and nodded as she allowed the four year old to lead her over to several tables, all covered with bow ties for her to choose from. 

After almost ten minutes of careful deliberation, Sophie finally held one up and nodded solemnly. “This one is perfect.” 

“I think so, too.” Mel carefully took her hand again and led her over to a counter with just one other person in line. 

“Did you and your daughter find everything okay, today?” the young woman asked as Sophie carefully laid the bow tie on the counter and Mel pulled her wallet from her bag. 

“We did, thank you,” Mel answered. “But not my daughter, my best girl.” 

“Oh, I’m sorry.”

Mel shrugged with a smile and winked as Sophie piped up next to her. “I have two daddies.” 

The sales girl smiled brightly at Sophie as she wrapped the bow-tie in a box with tissue paper. “My mistake, I’m sure your daddy will love this.”

Sophie nodded as Mel swiped her credit card and signed the electronic pad. “He always says he likes the ones I pick the best.” 

The young woman nodded as she carefully set the box in a bag and handed it over to Sophie. “I’m sure he does, you have impeccable taste. Happy Holidays, to you both.” 

“Thank you!” Sophie called as Mel winked again and wished her Happy Holidays as well. 

After they had walked away from the suddenly busy counter, Mel stooped down and pulled Sophie’s red coat closed. “Okay honey, I think we are done here. You ready to head out?” 

Sophie nodded as she let Mel button up her coat and place her hat back on her head. “Hot chocolate?” she asked as Mel carefully stood up and pulled on her own coat. 

She smiled down at Sophie and nodded. “Hot chocolate sounds delicious. We just have to make a quick stop down the block first” 

Sophie nodded as Mel arranged the two bags in one hand, carefully held on to Sophie with the other and they started toward the escalator for the first floor. 

“My daddies and me picked up our tree yesterday, and Papa put the lights on it...but we are waiting until my Lola and Uncle Cooper get here tomorrow to put on the orn’ments....” 

Mel nodded as Sophie continued to chatter away while they walked out of the store, Mel’s mind drifting as she remembered the first time someone had referred to Sophie as her daughter. Sophie had been just a baby, barely six months old. She had taken her to the park one Sunday afternoon and someone told her how beautiful her daughter was. She had been so taken aback, she just mumbled a quick ‘thank you’ as the stranger walked away and she stared into the stroller at the smiling baby looking back at her. 

Mel shook herself back to the present as they walked outside into the cold December air and down the block toward Bed Bath and Beyond. She listened intently as they walked down the street and into the store while Sophie chattered on about this and that. 

After they had finished their errand and she had gotten Sophie situated in a cab, she allowed her mind to drift back to what she’d been thinking about when they left Bloomingdales. Over the years, it had gotten easier. Calling her ‘best girl’ worked the best. It made Sophie smile, and was absolutely true. Mel smiled as she felt the baby inside her bump up against her stomach, suddenly woken as Mel had sat down after being on her feet all morning. 

She wrapped her arm around her best girl, and rubbed her hand down her belly holding her best guy, laughing as Sophie told her a story about her dads dropping their tree in the hallway the night before, scratching the granite, and telling her not to tell anyone. 

******

“Hey!” Kurt called when he opened the door later that afternoon. Mel winked, laughing as Kurt hurried to carefully pull his sleeping daughter from her arms. “You shouldn’t be carrying her, you should have called me. I would have met you downstairs.” 

Mel stretched out her arms and unbuttoned her coat. “Don’t be silly, it’s not like she’s heavy...and it’s probably one of the last times I’ll really get to hold her. I’ll be too big soon, and she’s growing every day.” 

Kurt sighed as he kissed his daughter’s forehead and nuzzled her hairline. “Yeah she is.” 

Mel grinned good-naturedly and ran her fingers through Sophie’s tousled curls before Kurt motioned with his head for her to come in. “Let me get her down. I just put on some water for tea if you’d like some?” 

Mel nodded and followed him down the hallway, laying her coat across the couch in the living room and smiling at their tree, all lit up by the window. She started and laughed, rubbing a comforting hand down her belly where the little boy she was carrying was performing some pretty impressive kickboxing maneuvers. 

The kettle Kurt had put on started whistling just as he walked back in the room and hurried over so the noise wouldn’t wake the sleeping girl in the next room. “Did you guys have fun?” 

Mel looked up and nodded, walking over to sit on a stool across from him. “We did, yes. She found some very good things, and was a total doll when we had to postpone our hot chocolate so I could run in Bed Bath and Beyond for Claire's new coffee mug tree I ordered last week.”

Kurt gave her a soft smile as he handed her a mug of steeped tea and the two of them moved to the table. “Shopping for the evil sister-in-law, huh?”

Mel rolled her eyes as she dunked her tea bag a few times and nodded. "The boys and Ryan are easy...Claire is the one who always takes forever." 

Kurt muffled a small chuckle into his mug and took a sip. "How much do I owe you?" 

Mel sighed out a fond laugh. “Are we going to do this every year?” she asked, squeezing a wedge of lemon into her mug and taking a small sip. “You don’t owe me anything...I’ll cash in with Soph when she’s grown and has a job of her own.” 

Kurt shook his head at the joke but barely cracked more than a small smile. 

“Hey,” Mel started after setting down her mug and reaching over for his hand. “You okay, friend?”

“Yeah,” Kurt rushed to assure her with a gentle shake of his head as if to shake away the memory he’d settled into. “Just a little....” he trailed off and waved his hand. 

Mel inclined her head, urging him to keep talking. “A little?”

Kurt sighed out a small self-deprecating laugh as he took a sip of his tea before setting the mug down on the table behind him. “I dunno...melancholy, I guess. The holidays are always a little hard for me. And this year with my parents staying in Ohio and Blaine working so much...” he trailed off again and shrugged.

“Is he?” 

Kurt nodded before rubbing one of his fingers across his eyebrow a few times and sighing. “He deserves it, though. His new show is amazing, and he is going to be amazing in it...and I’m not even really...” he trailed off again, seeming to search for his words carefully. “I think this year is just a little harder...my parents staying in Ohio isn’t really helping. I miss my mom, and I miss Finn. He would be so excited about being an uncle. He would think the world of Sophie, and to know he was having a little nephew...I just can’t even...”

Mel reached out and rubbed his shoulder as Kurt teared up slightly and sniffed. “It’s so strange,” he started, swiping his hand under his eye quickly. “When you lose someone, I mean...because if he had lived, he may be married, have kids...doing the whole dad thing right along with us...but when you lose someone, they are stuck at that point in their life, forever. I can only ever think of him as the nineteen year old man he was, everything else is just a mystery that I’ll never know.”

Mel nodded as she bit her lip. “Kinda like our moms. We never grew up enough to know either of them as anything else but exactly what we needed of them.”

Kurt nodded as he reached over to take her hand. “I’ve been thinking so much lately about...fate.” He stopped as if to gather his thoughts, so Mel gave his hand a quick squeeze. 

“I miss my mom so much sometimes it actually hurts,” he said, his voice cracking. “There isn’t much I wouldn't give to be able to hug her, talk to her about my life...my love, my children...” he paused as Mel bit her lip. "But then I think...how different would my life be if she had lived?” He stopped and looked up at Mel. “Would I have even met Blaine? Would I have needed to be there that day? Would my mom have seen though everything I kept so hidden from my dad? Would she have seen how I was dying a little everyday and helped me through it before I needed to escape to the place where I met him and heal?

“And then that makes me feel guilty, because it makes it feel like I’m somehow glad we lost them, and it’s not that at all..."

“Oh honey,” Mel whispered, pulling him into a hug. “You’ve been really working on this in that big brain of yours, haven't you?” 

Kurt laughed out a wracking sob as he clung to her for a few minutes before he felt something against his own stomach where Mel’s belly was resting, and laughed. “Is that him?” 

Mel pulled away with a chuckle. “He probably knows his Papa is upset.” 

Kurt grinned as he set his hand on Mel’s growing belly. They both laughed when the baby inside jammed against his Papa’s hand a few times and Kurt leaned down. 

“Hi sweetheart,” he said softly but clearly, rubbing his hand a little in an attempt to soothe his son. “I feel you in there, I can’t wait to meet you.” 

******

Lena snapped a picture of [Sophie](https://www.pinterest.com/pin/324399979382794684/) as they finished putting the last of the ornaments on the tree. 

“Wait, honey,” Lena called, walking over to where Sophie was pulling one of her baby ornaments from the box on the coffee table. “Dads wanted to be here for that one, and their wedding one as well.” 

Sophie nodded and clapped her hands together, brushing imaginary dirt from them like it had been such a tiring and dirty job to finish putting the ornaments on the tree. 

“That’s the last of them, then,” she announced in a voice so like Kurt’s, Lena had to do a double take and giggle softly at the small child. She may look exactly like Blaine, but all her mannerisms were from her Papa, down to the way she leaned over and expertly adjusted the perfume bottle ornament of Kurt’s mother. 

Sophie turned to Lena and grinned. “When will my dads be back?” she asked. 

Lena looked at her watch. “Anytime now, love. Papa said he needed to pick up a few things for dinner, and Daddy texted me to say that Uncle Cooper’s flight had landed and they were on their way soon.” 

Sophie nodded and crossed her arms. She was just about to open her mouth to say something when the door at the end of the loft opened and Kurt called out. Sophie’s eyes lit up and she ran back to greet him, helping him with the three or four canvas grocery bags he was lugging in. 

“Hi sweetie,” Kurt leaned down and kissed the top of her head. “Did you and _Lola_ finish the tree?” 

“All except for the few you wanted to do together,” Lena told him, reaching over to help with the bags. 

“Great, thank you so much,” Kurt sighed. He looked down at Sophie and told her to go wash her hands. 

“Daddy and Uncle Cooper will be here soon and we need to get dinner started.” 

Sophie took a moment to nod seriously before she pushed her kitchen stand over to the sink. 

“Is there anything I can help with?” Lena asked, reaching over to wash her hands as well.

“Actually, if you wanted to chop the vegetables for the salad, then Sophie can oil the bread and I’ll throw the pasta together. We should be able to get dinner together in no time.” 

Sophie started singing under her breath while Kurt set her up with a dish of olive oil and a pastry brush for their bread. 

******

A loud raucous laugh, followed by a squealing giggle came from Sophie’s bedroom where Cooper was supposed to be getting her ready for bed. 

Blaine rolled his eyes from where he was sitting with his mom at the table, discussing the plans for the following day. 

“It’s like putting a five year old in charge of the four year old,” he mused as Lena giggled behind her hand. 

“But he loves her, so.” 

“Mmhm,” Blaine reluctantly agreed. 

Kurt walked in just as they were finishing their tea. 

“I’m sorry we won’t get to see your parents this holiday, Kurt,” Lena called as Blaine offered to take her cup into the kitchen for her. 

Kurt nodded as he grabbed a water from the fridge. “Yeah, they went to Carole’s sister in Zanesville,” Kurt explained, walking over to the table. “Carole told me she was feeling guilty about never spending holidays with her since Soph was born, plus they are most likely gonna fly in for New Years to stay with Sophie as we have three parties we are supposed to attend that night.” 

“Three?!” Lena laughed.

Kurt nodded as Cooper walked in the kitchen. 

“That’s what happens when you’re as in demand as we are.” Blaine joked, winking at his mom when she giggled at him. 

“Okay, monkeyface has gotten to the point where Uncle Cooper isn't good enough, and she wants one of her daddies.” 

Kurt laughed as he stood up and told Blaine he would go. 

“So the matinee of the Rockettes and dinner with Dad tomorrow?” Cooper asked his mom, sitting down next to her. 

“Yes. Blaine, when does his flight get in?” Lena asked, patting Cooper’s hand on the table. 

“I’m not sure, honestly. He just told me he would meet us in front of Radio City at one-thirty tomorrow.” 

Lena nodded as she stood up and motioned for Cooper. “Cooper, lets let this family get to bed. We’ll be back in the morning around ten.” 

"Night Mama, we’ll see you tomorrow.” Blaine smiled, kissing Lena on the cheek after walking them to the door. 

“Goodnight, _panga_.” Lena cooed softly. “Tell Kurt we said goodnight as well.” 

“ _Adios_ squirt.” Cooper laughed, offering his arm for their mother as Blaine shut the door softly behind them. 

******

Luke started as Mel’s two nephews, Parker and RJ, screeched and ran through the dining room, shooting each other with pretend guns that were much louder than absolutely necessary. Their mother called feebly after them to keep it down. The two boys completely ignored their mother and tore up the stairs, yelling at each other that the other one was dead. 

Mel came up behind him with a big bowl of mashed potatoes to set on the table and rolled her eyes. “Welcome to Christmas in Connecticut with the James’,” she told him, rubbing a hand down his back as she walked back to the kitchen. 

He snorted out a small laugh and looked in bewilderment as Mel’s brother Ryan and his wife Claire argued in the living room about who was going to go upstairs and get the boys cleaned up for dinner. 

“You like Neil Diamond, Luke?” 

Luke turned and smiled at David, Mel’s dad. “What’s not to like?” 

David laughed and nodded, Mel coming up behind from the kitchen and smiling good naturedly. “Dad’s obsessed with Neil Diamond,” she explained. “Christmas used to be the only time Mom could get him to switch the music...that is, until Neil started releasing Christmas albums.” 

Luke laughed again before he hurried over to where Mel was carrying a large stack of plates. “Here, honey, I’ll get those.’” 

Mel rolled her eyes but let Luke take the stack of plates before David interrupted, 

“No, Luke, you’re our guest.” He paused before bellowing into the living room. “Ryan! Come help your sister set the table!” 

The argument brewing in the living room was effectively silenced as Claire angrily marched up the stairs to wrangle the boys, and Ryan walked to the table to take the plates from Luke. 

“I can do something, though...” Luke trailed off. Mel took his hand and led him through the swinging doors that led to the kitchen. 

“Come help me with the rest of the sides,” she told him as the doors shut behind them and a loud screaming ‘noooooo’ rang through the house before a loud thump from upstairs. Mel laughed at him when he jumped and kissed his cheek. “Little bit of a culture shock?” 

Luke shook his head and looked up again as another loud thunk sounded. He was beginning to worry for the safety and structure of the house. “I guess I’m just used to kids like Allegra...and Sophie,” he admitted as Mel handed him a bowl of green beans. “Kids that, ya know...listen to their parents and know not to scream inside,” he finished after another loud screech filled the room, signaling the boys had made it to the table in the next room. 

Mel chuckled and nodded as she finished dropping fresh rolls into the bread basket. 

“Although,” Luke added as they started for the dining room. “To be fair, they are the only experience I have with kids...really ever.” 

Mel stopped before walking through the kitchen doors and turned to face him. “This dinner is going to be horrible,” she admitted. “But just remember that I love you, and I will only ever make you do this once a year...at the most.” 

Luke laughed and leaned in to kiss her softly. “Love you, too.” 

The dinner was horrible. Five year old RJ alternated between sitting and standing on his chair to reach his food, dropping more on the table than actually eating, while eight year old Parker bet his dad that he could stuff ten peas up his nose, and Claire yelled at Ryan for encouraging the boy...all while Neil Diamond sang about White Christmas in LA and RJ yelled for his milk. Finally, Claire sent Parker from the table for screaming at RJ to shut up, and opened a third bottle of wine, offering a refill to everyone at the table. David refused, insisting he would stick with his beer, and Mel held up her hands and refused as well. 

“Oh, most doctors say one glass every once in a while won’t hurt anything!” Claire insisted. “Some even say it could be good for a developing heart.” 

Mel shook her head and covered her empty glass with her hand. “Well, the problem with that, is I wouldn't be able to stop at one...so best to stay away completely.” 

Luke put his arm around the back of Mel’s chair and tickled her shoulder, shaking his head to Claire as well. If Mel couldn't have any, he could say no to a second glass...no matter how much dinner had absolutely fried every one of his nerves. He couldn't remember his niece Allegra ever being so loud at a family dinner before...although Leah would have whisked her away at the first sign of disobedience anyway. And he’d spent enough time with Sophie, Kurt, and Blaine to know that she probably wouldn’t pull any of that, either. 

Mel gave him a warm smile and he looked over to where David was trying to get his attention to ask if he would like some pie. Mel stood up to go to the kitchen for dessert, but David insisted she sit and he would go get it. 

“Aunt Lissa,” RJ piped up from where he was standing next to her chair and pointing to her belly. “Is they a baby in d’ere?” 

Mel laughed good naturedly and nodded. “Sure is. A baby boy.” 

RJ perked up as his mother pursed her lips across the table from them before taking a long sip of her wine. “Is he gonna be my cousin?” RJ asked, climbing into the chair next to Mel and sat on his knees. “Like Blake and Toby are my cousins?” 

Mel adjusted herself to ease her back as she sat up and shook her head. “No,” she told him. “This baby is Aunt Lissa’s friend’s, Kurt and Blaine...this is their baby.”

RJ screwed up his face in confusion as Claire cleared her throat and attempted to get her son’s attention. “But...” he began, effectively ignoring his mother. “How is it they baby if it’s growing in your tummy?” 

Luke wiped his mouth as he glanced back and forth between Claire and Mel. Mel and RJ were both ignoring the panicked look on Claire’s face, as Mel searched for the words to explain the situation to the five year old. 

“Well, I’m just taking care of him for a little while. Helping him grow big and strong, until his daddies can take him home to live with them.” 

RJ opened his mouth again, confusion etched on his face.

“Okay, that’s enough!” Claire interrupted, she ordered RJ up to his room. Luke felt bad for the kid. He had the face that clearly showed he assumed he was in trouble and wanted to argue...but as he opened his mouth, Claire stood up and moved him toward the stairs as Mel looked at her in amazement. 

“Why?” she started as Claire came back to the table and drowned the last of the wine from her glass in one great gulp. “He was just asking a question.” 

Claire snorted as she shook her head. “I just think he’s a little young to be expected to understand all of....this.” She gestured to Mel’s growing belly with a look of...not disdain, but Luke couldn't exactly read her expression. It wasn't friendly or warm for sure. He reached over and grabbed Mel’s hand under the table. 

“How is he supposed to understand if you don’t allow it to be explained to him? That’s how kids learn things...adults explain it to them.” 

Claire snorted again as she reached for her water glass to take a sip. “I just don’t think I need you to be explaining things to my children, that’s all.” 

Mel looked taken aback as her breathing became a little heavier. “What is that supposed to mean?” 

Luke squeezed her hand. She’d mentioned in passing that her blood pressure had been a little higher than normal at her last checkup, and her doctor had recommended she refrain from stress as much as possible and keep an eye on it. He’d caught her taking it a few times and she’d told him it was still pretty normal, but her getting upset would surely cause it to spike. 

"Look, it's none of my business, but," Claire began and Luke's heart dropped to the pit of his stomach. Experience had taught him that generally, when people used the phrase "it's none of my business, but," things were about to get ugly.

"What you chose to do with your...choices," Claire paused again and Luke screwed up his face. She wasn’t making much sense...but then again she'd had almost an entire bottle of wine already. "They are your business and I don't want my children confused by them." 

Mel shook her head in bewilderment. "That is very narrow-minded, Claire. If you never expose your kids to things they don't understand, how will they learn about the world around them? He asked me a question and I answered him honestly. End of story." 

Claire shook her head again as Ryan walked in from the garage where he had snuck off after dinner, looking back and fourth between the two women to try and figure out what he had missed. Luke felt for the guy. 

"Let's just say if RJ or Parker have a question, I will answer it. Not you. You've made your decision on having children."

Mel sat up again, clearly annoyed and now a little angry. "What the hell is that supposed to mean, Claire? Are you seriously implying that because I choose not to have children of my own, I'm not allowed to have opinions on anything child related?"

Claire shrugged. "You can't know until you are a mother. There are things you will just never understand." 

"Wow," Mel muttered, shaking her head and squeezing Luke's hand so hard he feared for his bones.

"Claire..." Ryan started wearily. 

"And I don't want you filling my child's head with all these..." Claire trailed off, ignoring her husband and waving her hand in the air like she was searching for a word. "Situations!" she finally spat out. "When in a few years you could change your mind and decide--"

"Okay, stop," Mel warned, holding up her hand. "Stop right there before you say something even stupider, because I don't want to hear it." 

"It just doesn’t make much sense to me why you would choose to waste your time and energy and child-bearing years on a baby that isn't even yours!" Claire finally cried, and Luke could tell from the look on her face that she'd been holding on to that particular thought for a while. 

The room was eerily quiet for a few moments, even the music had stopped as Ryan and Luke looked back and fourth between the two women. The moment was finally broken as David walked in with two pies in his hands and the smile dropping from his face. 

“First of all,” Mel started, her body shaking just enough to worry Luke even more, “What I choose to do with my life and my body is absolutely none of your goddamned business. And second of all...how dare you insinuate that Sophia or this baby are somehow a “waste” or that I would ever regret helping to bring them into the world. That I would ever regret giving two people I love something they have always wanted, and two children loving and attentive parents, who only want what’s best for them, and will love them unconditionally...no matter who or what they become.” 

Claire opened her mouth to respond, looking like she wanted to defend herself, but Mel beat her to it. 

“Save it, Claire. Not that I ever did, but I have no interest in anything you have to say.” 

She stood up, reaching a hand out for help from Luke, pushing her chair back in and walking very deliberately out of the room and up the stairs. He sat back down and took a sip from his water glass. Time and experience had taught him to leave Mel alone for a few moments so she could collect herself. He watched as Ryan pulled Claire away from the table and stood to help David clear the dishes. Once Ryan returned to help in the kitchen, mumbling something about Claire going upstairs to get the boys ready for bed, Luke excused himself from the kitchen. 

He picked up Mel’s mostly full water glass and headed up the stairs and toward her childhood bedroom where they were sleeping. He found her sitting on her bed, running her hand up and down her belly and talking softly. She smiled as he walked in and closed the door behind him.

"Just trying to get us both calmed down a little,” she told him. He nodded and walked over to the opposite side of the bed. He handed her the glass of water and encouraged her to take a drink. 

“You okay?” he asked, settling down next to her. 

She hummed and nodded, closing her eyes and leaning her head back against the headboard. “I just...couldn't take it anymore.” 

Luke nodded and reached over to pick up her free hand, squeezing a few times. 

“I didn’t realize they were so...against you doing this.” 

She lifted her head and shook it. “My dad isn’t, I don’t think he exactly ‘gets’ it...but he understands that it’s my decision and what I want to do...and I don’t think Ryan gives two shits, one way or the other.” 

Luke nodded again and crossed his legs. They could both hear Claire fighting with the boys about their bath a few rooms away. “Claire on the other hand...” she continued, rolling her eyes again. “Claire is just one of the many women from my life, telling me that I’m silly and stupid to think that not having children is a good thing, or that I won’t eventually change my mind.” 

“I’m sorry,” Luke told her softly and Mel shrugged. 

“It’s whatever,” she started with a sigh. “She is entitled to her wrong opinion, I suppose. Her and I have never exactly bonded...I couldn't care less about her opinion on my life, I’m more upset that she insinuated that he or Sophie are somehow a waste, like I would someday regret either of them for any reason.”

Luke nodded again, leaning down to rest his head on her shoulder as he watched her hand move back and forth over her belly. “How’s he doing in there?”

She sighed out a small chuckle. “Probably pretty mad at me that I let my heart-rate and blood pressure get so high, he’s been punching me since I got up here.” 

They were quiet for a few moments, before Mel finally took a deep breath. 

“So, I know this is probably stupid...but I have to ask,” she started. Luke lifted his head and looked over at her. 

“What’s up?” 

Mel looked down at their joined hands and took another deep breath. “I know we've talked about this...last year before I...” she trailed off again and Luke sat up straight to look fully at her. “And then again this summer, when I told you I was ready to try again, and you said you supported me.” 

“I do.”

Mel gave him a fond smile as she adjusted herself on the bed and squeezed his hand. “But now that it’s all happening, and I’m getting...” she trailed off and motioned to her ever growing belly. “Bigger, and he’s getting more active.” She paused again and took a deep breath. “I guess I’m asking if all this freaks you out in any way...if it’s too much for you to handle?” 

Luke was quiet for a few moments as he thought about it. 

“Freaked out isn't the right term,” he decided. “I think I fall a little more on the same spectrum as your dad. I understand that it’s your decision, and that this is something that’s really important to you...but I don’t really ‘get it’, either.” 

Mel nodded her head. “Is there anything I can say, or...I don’t know, do you have any questions?”

Luke shrugged as Mel giggled at herself. 

“I mean,” Luke started as he brought their tangled fingers together again to look at them. “Leah let it slip that she was a little surprised you had decided to do it all again, that it wasn’t exactly easy for you the first time?” 

Mel smiled softly and shook her head. "No, it wasn't. It was really hard actually, at first anyway." 

Luke looked fully at her and was comforted by her entirely open face. "Then, why? If it was so hard, why did you agree to do it all over again?" 

"Because..." she started. She dropped her eyes and rubbed her free hand up and down her belly. "The way I feel about Sophie is so much different than I ever thought it would be. I love our relationship, it's everything I wanted and so much more, but I can't lie, there was a huge part of me that was really sad when she was born. 

"But this time, everything is different...I don't know if I can exactly explain it the way I feel it..." Mel trailed off again and turned a little so they were facing one another instead of sitting next to each other. 

"When Soph was born, I was a mess of complicated emotions brought on by hours of labor and hormones my body didn't know what to do with," she laughed and Luke chuckled along with her. "I had disassociated myself from her while I was pregnant because that's how I thought I could get through it, but then she was born and thrust on me and all the feelings I had been pushing away were thrust on me as well. I was this complicated mixture of sad and happy that my body and brain didn't know what to do with because the future was packed with all of this unknown." She stopped and shrugged "I know now. I know what's going to happen so I don't have to disassociate myself. I can be excited for him and be excited for the relationship I'm going to get to have with him and know that, even though I will never be his mother, he won't need me to fill that role for him. Because I'll fill the role of Aunt Mel, and that will be enough for both of us." She stopped again and looked at him. "Does that make sense?" 

Luke laughed and nodded. "Yeah, I think I get it." Mel smiled and nodded along with him. “But, can I ask...how is all of this going to work? What happens with us as you get closer and closer to your due date?” 

Mel looked at him carefully. “Whatever we want,” she started. “You can be as involved, or as not involved as you are comfortable with. Absolutely no judgement from me, either way.” She paused and reached over to stroke the back of his neck a little. “And if you decide you need to back off a little, just until everything goes back to normal...I completely understand.”

Luke began shaking his head. “No, no...I’m not going anywhere, I promise.” 

She sighed with relief and nodded. “Okay.” 

“But,” he started and squinted his eyes. “Do I need to be there? When he...comes out, that is?” 

Mel threw her head back and laughed. “No, you don’t need to be there,” she promised as he smiled with relief. “You can be as far away from there as you would like, I promise.” 

He laughed along with her and nodded. “I do require, however,” she started after they had calmed down a little. “That you send me an obnoxiously big bouquet of flowers.” 

Luke smiled and leaned in to press a soft kiss against her lips. “I think that’s a deal I can live with.” 

A few more quiet moments passed as they shared quick little pecks of their lips and smiled at each other. Finally, Luke sighed and leaned back.

“Do you want me to call the station, see if we can get a train back to the city tonight?” he asked, picking up her hand again and stroking her thumb with his own. She shook her head. 

“No, the boys will be going to bed soon...and after an entire bottle of wine, so will Claire,” she told him, struggling only a little to sit up again and took a deep breath. “They’ll be gone after breakfast for her family dinner, and then you and me and dad can just veg in the family room all day. We’ll watch all the sappy Christmas movies on TV, I’ll make my famous pecan pie, and we’ll eat up all the leftovers.”

Luke smiled and laid his head back on her shoulder. “Merry Christmas to us.” 

******

Christmas morning, Sophie was up with the sun. She jumped on her dads' bed laughing and begging to go out and see what Santa had brought for her. Blaine immediately texted his mom, saying she was wide awake and they would hold her off for as long as they could. 

Kurt coaxed the little girl back in bed with them, desperately trying to snuggle her back to sleep as he told her stories and asked her what her favorite part of the Radio City show had been. 

Lena texted saying they were all up and would hurry over, Andrew included, and just hold her off as long as possible. 

The three of them were still in bed when the buzzer rang at quarter to seven and Sophie popped up with a gleeful screech. She started bouncing around the hallway while she waited for everyone to walk in the door, and Kurt made as much coffee as their Cuisinart would hold while also sliding the spinach and mushroom quiches he had made the night before into the oven. 

Cooper was half asleep as Andrew pushed him through the door after Lena's smiling face. Blaine pushed a large cup of coffee under his nose as he blearily looked at his baby brother.

"Hoooow are you so awake?" Cooper moaned, Blaine nudged him into the living room where Sophie had already found one of her presents and had plopped into Andrews lap to open it. Kurt made her stop just until everyone had one and kissed the top of her head, reminding her to be patient. 

Blaine shrugged as he handed his mom and dad cups of coffee. "It's not that much earlier than any normal day." 

"Ugh," Cooper moaned as he flopped on the couch. "Never having babies." 

The next half hour was a whirlwind of colorful paper and Sophie holding up new toys and books and clothes for everyone to see, her voice growing more excited with each new gift. Kurt and Blaine cooed endlessly over their gifts from her, both of them immediately trying them on and telling her how much they loved them. 

The immensely soft plush bunny Andrew gave Sophie was an instant hit and stayed snuggled in her arm as she tore through the rest of her gifts, loving each one more than the last. 

Lena and Kurt snapped picture after picture as she alternated from lap to lap. After all the gifts were opened, she finally settled on Lena's lap where Lena read her one of her new books and she very promptly fell back to sleep. Andrew looked on and laughed softly. 

"Blaine did that every year, too," he said, sharing a soft look of memory with his ex-wife. "Cooper would wake him at the crack of dawn and he would be fast asleep again before nine." 

Lena nodded with a smile before bursting into silent laughter at Cooper snoring on the couch behind them. 

"Blaine!" Kurt gasped after opening a beautiful Tom Ford watch and covering his mouth with his hand. 

Blaine beamed as he leaned over and rested his hand on Kurt's thigh. "I went back that day, after you decided it was too extravagant for a Wednesday afternoon shopping trip," Blaine laughed. 

"Honey, it's beautiful..." Kurt trailed off, finally looking up at Blaine, his eyes bright. "But it's too much, I--"

"Hey," Blaine cut him off. "If I can't spoil my hardworking husband at Christmas, when can I? Merry Christmas, Kurt," Blaine said softly as he met his lips against Kurt's in a soft sweet kiss.

Kurt closed his eyes and held back the emotion he immediately felt. "Merry Christmas, Blaine," he answered softly, kissing his husband once more. 

"Hey," Cooper groaned from the couch. "No PDA on Christmas morning!" 

Blaine tossed a throw pillow at his brother. "It's my house and I'll kiss my husband if I want to." 

Cooper shrugged and rolled over. "Fair enough." 

The moment allowed Kurt to compose himself and he stood up. "The quiches should be about done, mimosas anyone? We got the good bubbly for Christmas morning!" 

"I'll help you!" Lena called, carefully laying the sleeping girl in her daddy's arms. 

******

Later that afternoon, Blaine pushed the door to their loft open and was met with just the muted sounds of the TV from the living room. He shrugged off his coat and scarf and hung them in the closet before walking down to the front of their loft where he found his dad lounging in the chair, watching a football game. 

"Hey," he called, startling his dad out of his doze. Blaine held up his hands in apologetic laughter. "Sorry, I didn't realize you were asleep. Where is everyone?"

Andrew shook his head and chuckled. "Uh, your mom and Cooper took Sophie for a little walk. After her nap this morning she wasn't much interested in sleeping this afternoon and was getting a little antsy waiting for dinner." 

Blaine nodded as he sat back on the couch. "Sorry about that, we only meant to stay for an hour or so, but every time we tried to leave someone would pull one of us aside." 

Andrew shrugged and nodded. "Oh it's fine, dinner's not quite ready yet I don't think. We weren't waiting on you guys or anything." 

Blaine sighed and smiled. One of the producers of his show was having a party that Blaine was all but required to attend, being the male lead. Lena and Andrew had happily agreed to watch over Sophie and get Christmas dinner started while they were gone, both Kurt and Blaine promising to not take too long. 

"Where's Kurt?" Andrew asked, sitting up a little and clearing his throat. 

Blaine looked up from where he was examining the new paint set Cooper had given Sophie. "Oh, his dad called just as we were pulling up. The elevator is like a death zone for phone calls so he stayed down in the lobby to chat with him for a few minutes. He should be up soon." 

Andrew nodded and an uneasy quiet settled over the two men. Just as Blaine was about to ask about the game on TV, always a safe subject for them, Andrew broke the quiet. 

"He's pretty close to his dad, isn't he?" 

Blaine nodded with a fond smile. "Yeah, they were all each other had for a long time. I don't think that feeling ever really goes away, no matter how many new people to love come into your life." 

Andrew rubbed his finger across his eyebrow nervously and stared at the TV. "I was always a little jealous of that, the relationship they had." 

Blaine looked up in surprise. "Burt and Kurt's, you mean?" 

Andrew nodded. "Being here today...seeing that little girl and how happy she is, knowing you guys are going to be having another little one to love and..." he trailed off as Blaine took a deep breath.

"Dad?"

"Seeing her today just reminded me of everything I missed when you and your brother were growing up." 

Blaine sighed out a quiet breath, not quite knowing what to say. His heart was thumping in his chest as Andrew went on. 

"I mean, I was there for the big stuff," he said, waving his hand in the air but still staring at the TV. "Christmas, graduations, school plays...it's the little things you miss when you are too focused on other things. Bath times and bedtime stories, doctor's appointments and rainy day adventures..." He turned to face Blaine and he could see the tears welling in his eyes. "Seeing the two of you with her, you won't ever let that stuff slip through your fingers, with any of your children. You are a much better man than I ever was." 

Blaine bit back a sob. "Dad..."

"It's what you hope for for your child, that they are a better person than you are." Andrew turned toward the TV again and bit his lip. 

Blaine was quiet for a few long moments before Andrew turned back to him. 

"I'm so damn proud of you, Blaine." 

Blaine stuttered out a sob. "R-really?" he asked, unbelieving. "I always thought..." Andrew turned to fully face him and raised his eyebrows. "I always thought you were maybe...a little disappointed in me."

"What?" Andrew asked, sitting forward quickly. "No, never." 

Blaine took several deep breaths as he tried to arrange his jumbled thoughts into words. "I just, it always seemed like you were...not happy with the way I...turned out." 

Andrew closed his eyes and sighed. "No, son...it was never that I was disappointed in you. I was scared for you."

Blaine's head shot up as he searched his dad's eyes. 

Andrew nodded. "I was scared of the world we lived in, the people in it who could hurt you or...I was scared for you," he finished simply. "I didn't want anything in your life to be hard, and I knew that being who you were, in the place we lived, was going to be so hard. Then after that horrible night, I would have paid a hundred Dalton tuitions if it made you feel and be safe. But then you got there and pulled away...I thought that by letting you, I was letting you be happy."

Blaine dropped his eyes to the floor, searching his brain...he had pulled away a little when he first got to Dalton. He'd been hurting and scared and he knew how much the school was costing his dad and he'd just wanted to be safe and prove that he was worth the expense. 

"No matter what Blaine, I was always proud of you. Of that boy you were and the man you've grown into. That's never changed."

Blaine bit back another sob as two tears rolled down his face and he hastened to wipe them away. "Dad, I--"

"I love you, Blaine," Andrew interrupted, his eyes fixed on the TV but his voice wobbling just enough for Blaine to hear. "Always." 

Blaine wanted to reach out and touch him but, not wanting to break the moment, he stayed on the couch and nodded his head. "I love you too, Dad." 

******

Kurt held his breath from where he was standing just inside Sophie's bedroom, just close enough to hear Blaine and Andrew in the living room. 

The two men had been so engrossed in each other they hadn't heard him come in the door, hadn't noticed that he almost walked in on them before he realized the severity of their conversation and backed away slowly. His arms ached to hold his husband and let him cry, give him the touch he could see Blaine so needed, that Andrew just couldn't give him right then. 

But he didn't want to walk in on Andrew or Blaine either, so he stood in Sophie's bedroom and let the silent tears roll down his face, promising himself he would hold and hug and kiss their son as long as he would let him...and even longer. 

Also...he would tell Blaine how much he loved him and kiss him the first chance he got. 

******

Lena, Cooper, and Andrew left soon after dinner that night. Cooper and Andrew were both flying home in the morning, and Lena was sleeping in. She promised to come by for a quick lunch before her flight home in the evening. 

Blaine walked them downstairs while Kurt put a very tired and crabby Sophie to bed. It was a little early, but it had been a long day and she was fast asleep after only a little singing and rocking. When he pulled her door shut, Blaine had turned off all the lights except for the tree. He'd put on an old Christmas record that that belonged to Kurt's mom and was holding out a glass of red wine. 

Kurt huffed out a small laugh as he accepted the glass and they snuggled down on the couch. He took a sip and rested his head in the crook of Blaine's arm, closing his eyes as he let the day wash over him. 

The two were quiet for a long time, comfortable to just share space after the long and exciting day they'd had. Blaine rubbed his fingertips up and down Kurt's shoulder before sighing deeply and pressing a kiss to Kurt's forehead. 

"You okay?"

Kurt nodded into his shoulder. "You?" 

"As long as I'm with you."

Kurt smiled as he held out his glass. "The fifteenth of many?" 

Blaine laughed out loud at the old joke and clinked his glass against Kurt's before taking a sip."Merry Christmas, Kurt."

Kurt took a sip and curled back into Blaine's arms. "Merry Christmas, Blaine."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading!!


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Life is made up of seasons. Some seasons are filled with joy, while others try us in ways we never thought possible. This is the story of Kurt and Blaine, with their amazing friend Mel, making the decision to expand their family, dealing with loss, and learning how to heal together.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Getting ready for the impending arrival of baby number 2 is a little stressful for our favorite guys, especially when life keeps getting in the way. 
> 
> I went a little link happy in this chapter. Just in case you don’t want to click through each one, [here](https://www.pinterest.com/beffone21/pirate-nursery/) is the link for the baby boy’s entire nursery.

Kurt woke up to an empty bed and the sun peeking through the window. He groaned as he rolled over and woke up his phone. 

“Oh wow,” he croaked when his phone read out the time at after 9 a.m. He could smell coffee brewing and could hear the tell tale sounds of his husband and daughter moving around the front of their loft. He stretched and pointed his toes before rubbing his eyes and sitting up. 

Stopping for only a moment to take care of his biological needs, he padded down the hallway to the front of their loft. 

“Papa!” Sophie cried from where she was sitting at the table, still in her PJs and munching on a bowl of almonds. 

Kurt smiled as he walked over and kissed the top of Sophie’s head. “Morning, honey.” 

Blaine came up behind him, kissing his neck and handing him a cup of coffee. 

“You should have woken me, have you guys been up long?” Kurt asked, taking a deep breath and long sip from his cup. 

Blaine shrugged as he leaned down next to Sophie and popped one of her almonds in his mouth. “Nah, this monster crawled into bed with us about an hour ago, but you were still fast asleep...so we got up and decided to start breakfast.” 

Kurt nodded as he sipped his coffee and opened the curtains. “I guess the last week is really catching up to me,” he decided as Blaine walked back to the kitchen. 

“Daddy’s gonna make pancakes!” Sophie cried, raising her fist in the air and pushing her hair from her face. 

Blaine laughed as he finished mixing the batter he had started. “Yes he is, but we have to be quick,” Blaine told them, looking over at Kurt. “Our first appointment is at eleven.” 

After breakfast, Kurt cleaned up the kitchen while Blaine helped Sophie bathe and get dressed. 

“You can pick out what you wanna wear,” Blaine told [her](https://www.pinterest.com/pin/324399979382788723/) after helping her with her hair. “But we are gonna be walking a lot and it’s still pretty chilly outside, so Papa and I have veto power if we think you need to change.” 

“Yep.” Sophie nodded, pushing the door of her closet open to pick something out. 

Kurt was finishing up in the bathroom when Blaine walked in to shower as well. “So we have the appointment on 82nd and then two on 86th, right?” Kurt asked, setting down his razor and wiping his face. 

Blaine nodded and shut the door so he could strip down. “Yep, I was thinking we could go to the appointments, grab some lunch, then let Soph run around the park while we figure out what we need from the market.” 

Kurt nodded again as he leaned in for peck before he left Blaine to shower and went to get dressed. 

The first apartment they looked at was horrific. It seemed smaller than the loft they were currently in, and the third “bedroom” seemed like nothing more than a closet with a window. 

“We are _not_ putting our baby in here,” Kurt hissed as Sophie swung their hands back and forth. “Either of our babies.” 

Blaine shook his head in horrified agreement and politely told the super they weren't interested. 

The second place they saw was better, but a little pricey for the amount of space they would gain. 

“Again, it’s not much bigger than the loft, just with a third bedroom,” Blaine murmured to Kurt, while Sophie walked around the second bedroom and looked out the window. “And almost six hundred more than we are paying now.” 

“You definitely pay for the neighborhood more than the apartment,” Kurt nodded, opening the closet in the master bedroom and making a face of disgust. 

“I didn't hate it,” Blaine decided as they walked out of the building. Sophie walked in front of them as they headed down the block, twirling so her coat would fan out and smiling at them. “And I do like the neighborhood, we are blocks from the Montessori program we've wanted her in since last year, and I like being so close to the park.” 

“I didn't hate it either, and we always knew we would have to pay quite a bit more,” Kurt agreed, holding his hand out for Sophie to do a full spin while they both giggled. “Let’s see this last one, maybe we need to go online tonight and take a few more virtual tours,” Kurt decided as they walked up to the last address Blaine had marked. “I really wanted to stay this side of Broadway, though.” 

Blaine nodded as they held Sophie’s hands and walked up the stoop to knock on the door. 

Twenty minutes later and they were walking away from the converted red brick townhouse.“Well, we could always go back to Brooklyn.” Blaine joked. 

Kurt looked over at his husband and narrowed his eyes. “No way,” he said flatly. “Brooklyn was before when we were first married and still in college. We are Manhattanites now, no matter how many people try to tell us how 'trendy' Brooklyn is.” 

Blaine chuckled as he threw out his hand to hail the cab that was flying down the street.

“Dads, I’m hungry,” Sophie complained as they climbed into the car. 

“I know, honey.” Kurt soothed, tucking her hair back into the bun Blaine had pulled it into. “We are too, we’re gonna go grab some lunch now. What sounds good to you?” 

“Juniors!” Sophie cried with a grin. 

Kurt looked over at Blaine and shrugged. “Sounds good to me. I could use a slice of cheesecake after all that.” 

Blaine agreed and nodded to the cab driver as they sped off. 

******

Kurt finished cutting Sophie’s peanut butter and jelly sandwich, dropped a few apple slices alongside it, and carried the plate over to where she was waiting at the table, coloring in her sketchbook. 

He felt horrible as he set her plate on the table and kissed the top of her head. She’d been at school all day, her ballet class right after, then she’d been bussed to a winter camp program since it was Wednesday and Kate’s day off. He hadn't been able to pick her up until almost six, and then the fight on the subway through rush hour traffic had held them up until almost seven. His arms were killing him from carrying her in the crowd of people. Sophie was crabby and hungry, and he couldn't even blame her for her bad mood because he was too. 

“Here honey, eat up.” Kurt sighed as he looked at the clock. “It’s getting late and you still need to get in the tub, we have to get up early tomorrow to go see Daddy.” 

“Daddy?” Sophie asked, perking up just a tad. 

“Yep, remember we are flying out tomorrow to see his show?” 

“Oh, right,” Sophie nodded, picking up her sandwich and taking a bite. 

He walked back into the kitchen to put the bread away and stare into the fridge, trying to decide what he could throw together for himself. He rubbed his eyes as he pulled out some leftover rice and chicken kabobs from the night before to warm up. 

It had been a long day at the end of a very long week. Blaine’s show was in tech, and he had been in Toronto for almost ten days for the out-of-town previews prior to the opening later in the spring. Kurt and Sophie were scheduled to fly out the next morning for his pre-opening night, and Kurt had barely started packing for them. At least he wasn't feeding Sophie takeout for the third time that week, even if he was eating it instead. 

Weeks when one of them had to parent on his own were always hard. Not only did he miss his husband like crazy, but doing everything on his own was difficult to say the least, and even with the aid of their wonderful nanny, Kate, every dinner had been late, and the usual tidiness of their loft was a distant memory.

Sophie picked at her dinner, yawning into her cup of milk and scratching her head where her hair had been braided all day. Kurt stood behind her and carefully pulled her long curls from the twin French braids he had fixed that morning. Her hair was softly changing from the dark brown she had been born with, to a soft honey color, the older she became. She had always looked so much like Blaine, but little bits of Mel were starting to shine through. 

He finger combed her curls and used his short nails to gently scratch against her scalp. It was a trick he used on Blaine to relieve some of the stress of his day, and if Sophie turning around and holding out her arms so Kurt would pick her up was any indication, it was working on their daughter as well. 

“Aren’t you hungry?” Kurt whispered softly, kissing her temple as she curled her little body into his after he sat down on the bench. 

Sophie shook her head and buried her face into Kurt’s neck and sighed. “I know, baby,” he spoke softly, rubbing his hand up and down her small back. “It’s been a long day, huh?” 

Sophie nodded as she curled in a little tighter. Kurt’s heart broke as he rocked her back and forth a few times, kicking himself for staying at the office for so long, but he was taking two days off, it couldn't really be helped. This did nothing to assuage his guilt as he sighed and peeled his daughter from him to look her in the eye.

“Okay monster,” he started. “How about you go get in the bathtub so Papa can eat a little dinner. Then, after we get your PJs on, we’ll pack your bag for the weekend, and you can snuggle up in dads’ bed.” 

“I can sleep with you tonight?” Sophie asked, pushing her hair from her face and nodding. 

“Mmmhmm.” Kurt agreed, setting her on her feet to head toward the bathroom. “I’ll get you started, just yell for me when you need help.” 

The next day Kurt sighed as he pocketed his phone, trying not to get too annoyed at the sudden change of plans. He looked down at Sophie standing next to him, looking around for her daddy. Blaine had texted him a while ago but he hadn't been able to turn on his phone while they were going through customs and between trying to wrangle a very sleepy Sophie off the plane he hadn't been able to pull it out beforehand either. 

"Okay, honey..." He trailed off trying to manage their bags and keep a tight hold on her hand. Even with all the traveling they had done, neither of them had ever been in the middle of a busy airport on their own with her. It was more than a little scary and he wanted to feel her hand in his at all times. "Daddy just texted and said he had a last minute rehearsal that he couldn't get out of so he can't pick us up." 

"Whaaaat?" Sophie whined and pouted, throwing her head back and trying to pull her hand away. "Nooo, you said he would be _heeeerreee_. You lied!" 

Kurt forced himself to take a deep breath and not snap at his child. She was just as tired as he was and missed Blaine just as much. "Sophia," he started, taking great care to keep his voice stern but not hard. "I did not lie, plans changed. Sometimes plans change, I'm sorry your upset. Come on, let's get a cab so we can go to the theater and see him." 

Sophie grumbled again but let her papa pull her by the hand so he could find his way out of the airport and into a bay of waiting cabs and shuttles. Just as he was about to flag a cab down, his eye caught a white sign with the words "Anderson-Hummel" printed on it. 

"Oh thank god," Kurt murmured and squeezed Sophie's hand. "Look honey, Daddy sent us a car!" 

Sophie gave him a look that definitely told him she wasn't quite as excited about this new development as he was, but didn’t say anything as the driver loaded their luggage into the trunk and Kurt buckled her into the seat next to him. 

Thirty minutes later they were pulling up in front of Blaine's hotel and Blaine himself came hurrying out to meet them. 

"Hey guys!" He called as Sophie looked up, a huge smile breaking across her face. 

"Daddy!!" She cried gleefully, jumping into his outstretched arms. 

Relief course through Kurt as his husband opened his arms for him as well and kissed him. "Hi honey, we missed you." 

Blaine smiled and jiggled Sophie on his hip. "I missed you guys, too, so, so much." He kissed Sophie's cheek again and squeezed Kurt's shoulder. "Come on, let's get your stuff up to my room. I have about an hour before I need to be back at the theater for the final dress rehearsal before the pre-opening night tomorrow." 

The next morning Kurt woke up to a small foot in his face. He groaned as he pushed Sophie over a little so her toe wasn’t in danger of going up his nose and sighed when he opened his eyes. Blaine was fast asleep across from him. He'd barely heard him come in the night before, it must have been really late. 

After they had grabbed a quick early dinner the night before, Blaine had kissed them both goodbye again and Kurt had taken Sophie back to the hotel room. They'd spent the evening watching movies while Kurt steamed and ironed their suits and Sophie's [dress](https://www.pinterest.com/pin/324399979386397401/).

That night wasn't actually opening night, that would be in the city later in the month...but this was the first performance open to a small amount of the public with some press invited to give feedback, so there was a small party afterwards while they waited for the results, and his family was always going to look their best. 

Just as Kurt was about to close his eyes again, try for another few winks of sleep...Blaine sighed and rolled over, blinking his own eyes open to focus on Kurt's. 

They both laid there for a few long moments, just looking at one another before Blaine finally broke into a mischievous grin and pointed toward the bathroom with the impressively big shower. Kurt nodded and felt his heart start to race before that same little foot came flying toward him again and he had to stop it before she kicked him right in the face. He looked over at Blaine shaking with silent laughter, his eyes growing as Sophie moaned and sat up, looking around bewildered before finally seeing both of her dads in the bed with her. 

She smiled and asked what was for breakfast. 

******

Blaine finally flew home on Saturday night, a week after Kurt and Sophie came to visit him. His cast used that week to work out the last of the bugs of the show, adding things here and there and cutting what seemed to drag the show down.

Tuesday the entire cast would begin press for opening night...but for now, Blaine was ridiculously thankful that Mondays were dark in the theater world. And this week, since his show hadn't really opened yet, his Sunday was free as well. He and Kurt had spent most of Sunday with Mel and Sophie, lounging around their loft, ordering food and watching movies. 

Monday morning dawned bright and early. Blaine got Sophie up and dressed. He walked her to school while Kurt called in a personal day and stayed in bed waiting for him to come back home. Blaine had been in Toronto for almost three weeks, and the one weekend they had gotten to spend together, Sophie had been with them. They desperately needed some time alone. 

It was almost noon before Kurt finally made an attempt to get out of bed. 

“Noooo,” Blaine moaned, trying to pull him back into his arms. “Where are you going?” 

Kurt laughed as he turned and planted a chaste peck on Blaine’s pouted lips. “I’m emerging from our sex coma,” he paused to laugh when Blaine waggled his eyebrows at him, prompting him to peck a few more kisses against Blaine’s lips. “I’m emerging from our sex coma to get my iPad,” he finished, standing up and pulling on a pair of briefs. 

Blaine laughed. “What? Why?”

Kurt pulled on a simple gray t-shirt and climbed back into bed next to his husband. 

“Because,” he started. “Our son will be here in a little over two months, and not only have we not found an apartment to live in where he will actually have a bedroom...” Kurt paused again as Blaine threw himself back against the pillows, then covered his eyes with his arm and groaned. “We don’t have anything for him to sleep in, or wear. We have nary a diaper in this entire loft!” Kurt all but screeched as he pulled up the list-making app on his iPad and started clicking buttons.

“Well, to be fair,” Blaine started, rolling out of bed to put some clothes on as well. “We technically still have a crib, and a changing table...what else did we keep of Sophie’s?” 

Kurt looked up and scrunched his face. “Well, I know we gave away her stroller and car seat combo, and I’ll have to check the storage room to be sure, but I think we kept her bouncy chair and a tub of gender neutral clothes that were still in good shape. Everything else is in her baby box. And we do still have her crib and changing table, but her basket thingy broke because we used it too much, so we need a new bassinet. Plus, she still has the rocking chair in her room...so we need to decide if we are gonna let her keep that, or pass that on to him.” 

Blaine nodded as he walked out of their bedroom, coming back a few moments later with his laptop and two bottles of water. 

“We need a theme,” Blaine decided, climbing back into bed with his computer in his lap. “Sophie had birds and birdhouses, we need to think of something for him.” 

“He also needs a name,” Kurt mused, but grinned at his husband when Blaine stuck out his tongue.

“Maybe we could do a pirate themed nursery!” Blaine cried excitedly after his computer had booted up. “I always wanted one as a kid, and I can’t seem to convince Sophie that she wants one, too.”

Kurt laughed as he clicked out another few items on the list he was making. “Look at you, already pushing all your hopes and dreams on our kids,” he joked. 

Blaine shrugged as he logged into his Pinterest to look at pirate themed nursery ideas. “Gotta start somewhere.”

Kurt chuckled softly as a few more quiet moments passed, each of them engrossed in their own task. 

“Uggh,” Kurt groaned. “Even with the stuff we kept of Soph’s, I still feel like we have absolutely nothing for this baby.” 

Blaine looked over at his list and had to agree, Kurt was already on number twenty and they had only started ten minutes ago. 

“He needs a new diaper bag, a diaper pail, a new changing pad, diapers, creams, wipes, lotions and soaps...and that's just if we want to change his diaper! We are totally and completely, unprepared for him!” Kurt moaned, dropping his iPad on the bed and flopping back against his pillows dramatically. 

Blaine looked down and gave Kurt a fond grin. “Well, we still have some time.” 

Kurt sat up and shook his head. “Not much,” he argued, picking his iPad up. “Mel is almost at thirty weeks, and they say second babies can come earlier...we have been putting all this off for too long.” 

Blaine nodded and reached over to rub his husband's back soothingly. 

“I feel...” Kurt trailed off as he started rubbing his eyes. “I feel almost guilty,” he finally admitted. “How long did we agonize over every detail of Sophie’s nursery? The crib alone took almost a whole week before we decided. We got in that huge argument over her bedding? We had that big party and invited everyone...” Kurt trailed off as Blaine scooted over and wrapped his arm around his husband's shoulders, kissing his temple softly. "I just- I feel like we are just throwing everything together for him, and it feels, almost...unfair.” 

Blaine nodded again but didn't say anything. 

“I don't want him to ever feel like we didn't love him as much as we love Sophie, or that we didn't want him-”

“Hey,” Blaine interrupted, finally pulling Kurt into a full hug and resting his face in the crook of Kurt’s neck. “No, honey. He will always know how much we love him, how much we wanted him...always.” 

Kurt shook his head and leaned into Blaine a little more, neither of them saying anything over the next few moments. 

“I mean, come on! We are those disgustingly annoying parents.” Blaine joked finally. “Telling Sophie how much we love her, how beautiful she is, inside and out. He will be no exception to that rule.” Kurt finally nodded as Blaine went on. “We have been ridiculously busy since Christmas. I’m not making excuses, it’s just a fact. So now, we take some time. Make our lists, debate over what car seat combo is the safest this year. Figure out what we need to buy, what we can keep-”

“Finding a place to live where he can have his own room,” Kurt interrupted with a wet laugh. 

Blaine groaned again at the idea of continuing their apartment hunt, but nodded. “Yes, we need to be more hands on...and I’m seriously thinking the pirate theme, cause look at this awesome [rug](https://www.pinterest.com/pin/324399979381621142/) I just found! It looks like waves of water!” 

Kurt grinned as he leaned in to meet his lips against Blaine’s. Kurt cupped his palm against his husband's cheek and grinned. “I’ll look up safety blogs for a new bassinet.” Kurt chuckled as Blaine continued to peck kisses against his lips and cheek and chin. “You continue on your pirate adventure, Sophie’s blue decor will match really well with a pirate theme.” 

******

Blaine made himself a glass of ice water and grabbed both the Phillips head and Flathead screwdrivers, before walking back into the living room where the boxes for both the new [bassinet](https://www.pinterest.com/pin/324399979382054077/) and the new [swing](https://www.pinterest.com/pin/324399979386397526/) were sitting.

He and Kurt had pulled Sophie’s pack and play, as well as her bouncer, from their storage unit the day before. They were both sitting next to the couch, cleaned up and snapped together. 

He was screwing the castors on the bottom of the bassinet when the door opened and Mel called down the hallway. 

“Hey good lookin’,” she smiled, setting her bag on the counter and walking over to him. “I thought you weren't gonna be here for dinner tonight, don't you have a show?” 

“Hi,” Blaine smiled, leaning over to kiss Mel’s cheek. “I do. I wanted to get this done, though, before I left.” 

Mel nodded as she walked back to the kitchen to make herself a glass of ice water.

“Kurt is picking up Sophie on his way home, then grabbing a few things from the store. I was trying to hang around here to see them both for a few minutes before I left,” Blaine explained as he checked the sturdiness of the bassinet. “How did your appointment go, everything okay?” 

Mel eased herself into the armchair with a sigh. She nodded as she rubbed her hand over the top of her very swollen belly. “Yep, we’re good. Everything’s on track and he looks great.” 

Blaine’s head shot up with a grin. “You got to see him?” 

“Yeah, his heart-rate was a little loud and they were scared he was facing the wrong way,” she explained, moving her hands to show Blaine what she meant. “But he’s fine, just a strong heartbeat.” 

Blaine sighed and nodded, checking the instructions on how to put the storage shelves in. Mel laughed and rubbed her belly again. “You hear us talking about you, little one?” 

“Is he moving?” Blaine asked, grinning when Mel nodded, motioning for him to come over and feel.

He tossed the instructions down and walked over, laying his hand on Mel’s tummy and giggling when he felt his son pushing against it. 

“Has he been moving around a lot lately?” 

Mel shook her head and reclined against the chair.“He’s slowed down a lot lately, I think he’s just run out of room a little early. I’m carrying him so much lower than I carried Sophie.” 

Blaine nodded and started talking softly to the baby as Kurt and Sophie walked in the door. 

“Whatcha doin', Daddy?” Sophie asked, walking up and setting her chin on the arm of the chair. 

Blaine leaned over and kissed her forehead. “I’m talking to your baby brother, trying to get him to move around a little bit. Wanna try?” 

Sophie nodded and put her little hand next to where Blaine had set his. 

“How was your appointment, honey?” Kurt asked, squeezing Mel’s shoulder after dropping the two grocery bags on the counter. 

“Just dandy, there are ultrasound pictures in my bag,” Mel told him, pointing to where her bag was sitting on the counter. “Everything looks good. His head is down and heartbeat is strong.” 

Kurt reached in and flipped through the few printed pictures with a fond smile. 

Blaine groaned as he caught sight of the clock and stood up. “I gotta go.” 

“You hafta go to work, Daddy?” Sophie asked, climbing up to sit on the arm of the chair next to Mel. 

Blaine nodded as he grabbed his bag from where he had left it on the table. “Yeah honey, I gotta go to work,” he told her, leaning down to kiss the top of her head. “Be good, I’ll come kiss you goodnight when I get home.” 

Sophie nodded and snuggled closer to Mel with a yawn. 

Kurt looked up with a smile when Blaine walked over to him. “Bye honey, break a leg,” he told him, grinning into a small kiss goodbye.

“I’ll try, see you when I get home.” 

He blew a kiss and called bye to Mel as he walked down the hallway and out the door. 

“Mel, Soph requested bow tie pesto for dinner. I hope that’s okay,” Kurt called as he put water on for the pasta and pulled down his food processor from the cabinet above the sink. 

“Sounds good to me,” Mel answered with a yawn of her own. “Soph and I are gonna snuggle while you cook us dinner, I hope that’s okay.” 

Kurt laughed and rolled his eyes, nodding his agreement as Sophie launched into a story about her art project at school. 

Blaine walked in the door a little after eleven that night. Mel had gone home around ten, long after Sophie had been fed, tubbed, and read to sleep. She kept Kurt company while he finished assembling the swing and glider. She even folded a basket of freshly washed baby clothes before begging off, saying she was tired and needed to get to bed. 

Blaine found his husband in their bedroom, arranging the baby’s bassinet next to the new glider across from the end of their bed and next to his vanity table. 

“Hey you, looks good in here.” 

Kurt looked up with a startled smile. “Hey, I didn't even hear you come in,” he told him, walking across the room for a kiss hello. “How was your show?” 

Blaine shrugged as he threw his bag on their bed and walked into the closet. “Eh, it was okay I guess.” he called. “Something still feels off, but none of us can figure out what it is,” he finished, walking back into the bedroom after changing into his favorite soft pajama pants and a tank top. 

Kurt looked up from where he was organizing the folded baby clothes on the bed. “Maybe it’s the fact that you all think something is off?” 

Blaine shrugged but nodded his agreement as he walked over to Kurt’s vanity and grabbed his bottle of moisturizer. “There is also this turn in the second act that, no matter how many times I practice, I just can’t get right.” 

“Well,” Kurt began as he started filling the drawers they had vacated from their dresser. “I've seen the show four times now, and I still think you were perfect.”

Blaine chuckled as he walked over and wrapped his arms around his husband's waist. “Thank you, my love...but you may be just a touch biased.” 

“That I am,” Kurt laughed, leaning into a kiss before pulling away to finish his project. 

“This looks great by the way,” Blaine told him, sitting down in the [glider](https://www.pinterest.com/pin/324399979382262359/) next to the bassinet. “I’m sorry you had to do it all yourself.” 

Kurt shrugged as he closed the last dresser drawer. “I don’t mind. Besides, there is still plenty to do,” Kurt assured him. “All the bath and diaper paraphernalia needs to be gone through, double checked, and put in the correct easy-to-reach places.” 

Blaine nodded as he reached in and grabbed the [stuffed giraffe](http://www.pinterest.com/pin/324399979382262373/) Sophie had picked out while shopping for his [lamp](https://www.pinterest.com/pin/324399979381621149/) a few weeks ago. 

“Won’t be long now,” he whispered as he held the giraffe against his chest. 

Kurt turned around and grinned. "I know,” he agreed, sitting down on the edge of the bed and crossing his legs. “I keep alternating between excitement to finally get to see him and hold him, to being scared shitless at the idea of two children under five and you having to go back to work after not even two weeks.” 

Blaine nodded as he stood up. He set the giraffe back in the bassinet on the pirate blanket Kurt had made for the baby, and walked over to the bed to lay down.

"Oh," Kurt started as he turned to face Blaine on the bed. "I had lunch with Kate today, told her about finally finding the new place."

Blaine nodded as he yawned and forced himself to focus on what his husband was saying. They'd finally found and put a deposit on a new condo the previous weekend, another check-mark off their list. 

"She said she would be happy to go to full time this June after my paternity leave is over. Her graduation is the fifteenth of May and then she's going home to visit her family, but after that she's all ours...until August that is."

Blaine nodded and groaned, rubbing his eyes. "What are we gonna do without her?" He asked. 

Kurt shook his head and shrugged. "I know. I hate the thought of hiring someone else, she's been with us for so long, but she just can't do it with grad school and an internship..." 

Blaine nodded as he sighed, finally shaking his head of sadness and pulling on Kurt’s arm until they were both laying on the bed and facing each other. 

A few quiet moments passed. Blaine took one of Kurt’s hands in his own, and used the other to rub soothingly up and down Kurt’s arm.

Kurt’s eyes closed and he hummed softly as he melted into their bed. “Did you have dinner? Are you hungry?” He murmured softly, tucking his chin so his head was closer to Blaine’s chest. 

Blaine nodded, answering both questions at once as he continued to rub his hand up and down Kurt’s arm. “But let’s just lay here for a few more minutes,” Blaine whispered, smiling when Kurt nodded.

"Sounds good to me.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading!!


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Life is made up of seasons. Some seasons are filled with joy, while others try us in ways we never thought possible. This is the story of Kurt and Blaine, with their amazing friend Mel, making the decision to expand their family, dealing with loss, and learning how to heal together.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Baby number 2 joins the Anderson-Hummel family!

The alarm went off, as it always did, at six thirty. Blaine reached over his husband and turned the buzzing off. When he tried to lie back down, Kurt moaned into his pillow as he tried to pull Blaine’s arm back over him. 

“We gotta get up,” Blaine mumbled, kissing the back of Kurt's neck again and again, neither of them doing much in the way of getting up and out of bed. 

Kurt rolled over to his back and laughed softly as he pulled Blaine down to his lips. 

Just as Blaine started moving down the side of Kurt's neck, Kurt’s phone started ringing. They both stopped and looked over. Only one person would be calling them this early. 

Kurt sat up and grabbed his phone, not even looking before he pushed the button to answer. “Mel?” 

“Hey, I think...yeah it’s time,” she panted, clearly out of breath. 

Kurt nodded to Blaine as they both rolled out of bed. 

“Okay, are you sure?” Kurt asked as Blaine hurried over to their half packed duffle bag. 

“My contractions are still irregular, but my water just broke.” 

“Still?” Kurt asked. “Honey, how long have you been in labor?” 

“It started at about three,” Mel told him, breathing out slowly. “I didn't want to wake you guys until I knew for sure, but I think we need to go.” 

Kurt nodded as he told her they would be right down and hung up. 

“You take her,” Blaine announced coming in from the front of the loft carrying the diaper bag they had bought and filled with the things the baby would need right away, including his newborn outfit and their camera. “I’ll get Sophie off to school and meet you there after.”

Kurt nodded, grabbing the jeans and Henley shirt Blaine had laid out for him. He hurried into the bathroom to brush his teeth and wash his face, then got dressed while Blaine made a pot of coffee.

Kurt came hurrying into the kitchen to grab a granola bar and the travel cup Blaine had just poured him. “I called Rage and texted Tate, Dad and Carole. My parents are gonna catch the first flight they can to help out with Sophie.” 

Blaine nodded as he pulled Kurt into a hug. 

“I’ll call Kate on my way to the hospital, see if she can pick up Soph and stay here with her until they get here or we can figure something else out, I’m sure Rachel wouldn't mind sitting with her if it comes to it,” Blaine decided as they walked down the hallway to the door. 

Kurt nodded as he moved in for a kiss goodbye. “I’ll see you soon, right?” Kurt asked, kissing Blaine again and pulling him close for a few moments before he had to let go. 

Blaine nodded. “I’ll be there in an hour at most.” 

Kurt nodded his head and gave Blaine one more kiss before he hurried out the door. 

Waiting for the elevator seemed counterproductive, Mel only lived a few flights down. Kurt practically flew down the stairs and knocked lightly before using his key to let himself into her apartment. 

“Mel,” Kurt called as he walked further into his friend's apartment. “Sweetie?”

“I’m right here,” Mel answered from her little living room. ”I’m right here.” 

Kurt sighed as he walked over and put his arm around her. “Hi, honey,” he said kissing her forehead. “You ready?”

Mel nodded and leaned into her friend. “I think so. My bag is over there.” 

Kurt stood up, threw her bag over his shoulder and helped Mel to her feet from the couch. 

Just as they were walking onto the elevator, Mel was hit with another contraction. She grabbed Kurt's arm where her hand was looped and sucked in a breath through her teeth. Kurt didn't say anything, just stood next to her, letting her know he was there if she needed him. 

Once it looked like she had come out of it, Kurt kissed her forehead and they walked out and into the lobby. 

“Still irregular?” he asked, holding the door open. It was a beautiful spring morning. A breeze would surely be blowing if the waft from the subway grate wasn't preventing it from flowing. 

Mel nodded as they walked toward the street where the Uber Blaine had called from the app on his phone was waiting, warm and ready. 

“Blaine has to take Sophie to school, so he is bringing the car later with the car seat, is that okay?” Kurt asked opening the car door. “I mean, is it okay that we take this?”

“It’s fine, just get me there, I don’t care how we do it,” Mel murmured, her hand protective on the underside of her big belly as she lowered herself down to the seat and blew out another breath. 

Kurt jogged around to the other side of the car and climbed in, fired off their destination and helped Mel with her seatbelt before picking up her hand so she could squeeze if she needed to. 

“I’m not sure I could drive anyway,” Kurt admitted and they both chuckled. “I have a hard enough time with city driving, and that’s not even considering my best friend in labor next to me.”

Mel nodded, using her other hand to rub comforting circles into her belly. 

It was still early enough, that traffic was amiable at best. The pair made it to the hospital in just under twenty-five minutes. Mel had filled out and sent in the admit paperwork weeks ago, so they were taken right up and into her room. 

******

After Kurt left, Blaine jumped in the shower, quickly styled his hair and shaved. He had just finished dressing when he started the task of waking Sophia. She was going through a some kind of phase and had been up twice the night before, an hour each time. This and a new baby in the house might be the end of them. --Although, the new baby is probably the reason for the phase.--Kurt had said when Blaine had brought it up the night before after singing and rocking her for the second time that night. 

Blaine dressed her while she was still half asleep, pushed her into the bathroom so she could empty her bladder, brush her teeth, and wash her face.

She finally woke up enough to ask where Kurt was while eating the English muffin and cup of yogurt Blaine put in front of her for breakfast. 

“Papa took Aunt Mel to the hospital so she can have your baby brother,” Blaine responded as he zipped her lunch bag closed and stuffed it into her backpack.

“Really?!” Sophie asked, perking up from her seat and pushing her hair out of her face. 

“Really,” Blaine answered, coming around to comb through her curls and pull them into a bun and out of her face. “That’s why we have to hurry, so Daddy can go to the hospital to be with them.”

“I wanna go, too,” Sophie whined, turning her head and pouting. 

“You have to go to school, sweetheart. But you are one special girl, because Kate is gonna pick you up from school, then Grammy and Grandpa will be here to see you this afternoon.” 

“YAY!!” she cried, punching the air like her Uncle Sam taught her to do. 

“Yay!” Blaine mimicked with a laugh. “Now go wash your hands and put on your shoes. We gotta go!” he finished, shooing her into the hallway. He put her dishes in the sink, picked up his travel mug, and wiped the counter down once with a cleanup wipe. 

Sophie was already at the elevator when he pulled the door shut and pushed on it to make sure it was locked. 

They usually just walked to Sophie’s school, it was only about five blocks away, but today Blaine led Sophie down the street in the opposite direction to the garage where they kept their car parked. 

Once Sophie was safely buckled into her car seat, they headed to her school. 

“Are you excited to meet your little brother, monster?” Blaine asked, looking up in the rearview mirror to catch her eye. 

“I am so excited, Daddy.” Sophie answered, looking out the window and kicking her feet against the back of his seat. 

“Me too, I’m excited to hold him. What are you most excited for?” 

“Umm, I’m excited to hold him, too,” Sophie agreed, playing with the zipper on her backpack. “But also to show him my toys and books, and to sing him all the goodnight songs, too.” 

“Aww, honey. I’m sure he will be so happy to have his big sister sing all the goodnight songs too,” Blaine smiled at his daughter as they pulled up in front of her school.

Blaine put the car in park and turned in his seat to help Sophie with her car seat buckle. 

“Alright sweet-pea, have a good day,” Blaine told her. Sophie crawled over and Blaine waved to the monitor who walked over and opened the car door to walk Sophie to her classroom. 

“Bye, Daddy!” Sophie called leaning over to give her dad a kiss. 

“Hey, gimme an extra smooch for Papa. I’m sure he needs it since he didn't get to see you this morning.” 

Sophie obliged then kissed him again. “And for Aunt Mel,” she said and Blaine smiled and nodded. She was almost out of the car when she came back for one more kiss goodbye. “And give that one to my baby brother.” 

Blaine smiled as he assured her he would and waved to the monitor. He watched her walk toward the building and through the doors before he took off and headed to the hospital. 

Kurt was leaning against the wall in the hallway outside Mel’s hospital room when Blaine walked up. 

“Hey,” he called, smiling when Blaine leaned in to kiss him hello. 

“Hi, everything okay?” Blaine asked. 

“Yeah, they needed to do a pelvic exam and Mel wanted some privacy.” 

Blaine nodded as he leaned against the wall beside his husband before he laughed and leaned over. He kissed Kurt on the cheek and smiled. “From Sophie.” 

Kurt laughed and crossed his arms. “How was she?” 

“I dressed her while she was still half asleep,” Blaine told him and they both laughed. “But otherwise she was fine.”

Kurt smiled and reached down to tangle his fingers with Blaine’s. They both stood up when the door opened and a nurse walked out. “You guys can come back in now,” she told them, propping the door open for them to walk through.

“Hey, B came to join the party,” Mel smiled when Blaine walked in and kissed her forehead. 

“Yeah, try to keep me away,” he told her, kissing her once more. “That one’s from Sophie.”

“Thank you,” Mel smiled, blowing a breath out and rubbing the top of her exposed tummy. 

“How’s she doing?” Kurt asked the nurse, walking to the other side of the bed and taking Mel’s offered hand.

“She’s dilated about six centimeters, but her contractions are still pretty irregular. Baby’s heart-rate sounds good, though,” the nurse said, typing something into Mel’s chart. “Just try to get her to relax in between contractions as much as you can.”

“Thanks, Mary,” Mel sighed, leaning her head back and closing her eyes. 

“No problem, sweetie,” Mary assured her, walking out the door. “Call me if you need anything, and I’ll be back in a little while to check on you.”

******

Kate was waiting for Sophie in the schoolyard when the bell rang. She smiled and waved when Sophie came running over to her. 

“Hey sweets!” she cried, lifting her up and hugging tight. “Did you have a good day?” 

“Is my baby brother here yet?!” Sophie asked, hugging Kate back. 

Kate put her down and took her hand as they walked away from the school. 

“Not yet,” she told her, swinging their hands as they walked down the block. “We are gonna go home, have a snack and wait for your Grandma and Grandpa; they are on their way.” 

“YAY!” Sophie cried, skipping and laughing. 

Kate looked down and laughed at the little girl as they walked down the sidewalk. 

She had just set down Sophie’s cup of milk on the table next to her apple slices and peanut butter when the buzzer rang. Kate looked down and smiled as Sophie’s eyes got as big as saucers. 

“They’re HERE, they’re HERE!!” she cried, jumping off her chair and running down the hall toward the door with Kate following close behind. She buzzed Burt and Carole up, then opened the door. They waited by the door until the elevator dinged. 

“Hey, there’s our girl,” Burt called as soon as the elevator doors opened. 

“Grandpa!” Sophie cried as she ran into his arms, then jumped over to Carole’s. 

“Hi precious!” Carole sang, hugging Sophie tight. 

“Hi Grammy!” 

“Hi, I’m Kate,” she said as Burt took her hand. “Sophie’s nanny.” 

“Yeah, good to meet you,” Burt smiled. “We’re the grandparents.” 

“It’s great to meet you, sweetie,” Carole told her, kissing Sophie’s cheek. 

Kate stayed a little while longer, but got her stuff together after about twenty minutes. 

“Are you sure you don’t want to hang around here, have some dinner, wait for the call telling us we have a new baby?” Carole asked while Sophie was showing Burt her art table in the dining room. 

“Aw, thanks for the invite, but I have a class tonight,” Kate told her, grabbing her bag from the table by the door. “I don’t usually pick up Soph on Wednesdays, just doing the guys a favor.” 

“Well, thank you so much again.”

“No problem at all,” Kate said opening the door. “Bye Sophie,” she called. 

“BYE KATIE!!” 

******

“Alright Mel, with the next contraction we are gonna start pushing,” Mary told her, instructing another nurse to call the doctor while she adjusted the bed. “Kurt--if you wanna climb up, now would be good.” 

Kurt slipped his shoes off and climbed up on the bed to sit behind Mel while Blaine helped her adjust to the new position. Once she was settled, she laid her sweaty head back against Kurt’s chest and used his knees to anchor herself while Blaine held her hand and whispered words of encouragement. 

“Okay sweetie, here it comes.” 

Mel moaned her agreement and took a deep breath. 

“Now I want you to bear down, but not too hard. This is just the trial run before the big show. We want to see how far you can go,” Mary called, instructing Blaine to hold on to one of her legs. 

Mel nodded and everyone started counting, except Kurt, who just whispered in her ear how amazing she was and how much he loved her. 

******

“When we move to our new ‘partment, my baby brother and I will have our own bathroom to share!” Sophie announced over dinner. 

Burt had ordered the pizza and Carole had thrown together a salad and cut some fruit for Sophie.

“That is so exciting, sweetie!” Carole told her, setting down her cup of milk and tucking away the stray hair that had fallen out of her bun.

“We don’t move for a few weeks though, we have to be close for my Aunt Mel after my baby brother is born,” she informed them. 

“Are you excited for your baby brother, little one?” Burt asked her as she climbed into his lap to eat her pizza. 

Her dads never let her do that, but Grampy did. 

“Me n’ my papa bought his pirate lamp!” she announced around a mouthful of pizza. 

“That’s great honey, but chew your food before you talk,” Carole told her, smiling. 

******

“I hear we’re having a baby in here.” Dr. Stevens announced as he walked in the room and Mel groaned and threw her head back against Kurt’s chest again. 

“Are you fucking kidding me with this fucker?” Mel grunted. 

They had been informed that Dr. Robbins was out of town, and Mel had never really warmed to her partner Dr. Stevens. A nurse walked over and dressed Dr. Stevens in his sterile gown and gloves before he sat down at the end of the hospital bed. Mary walked over to grab Mel’s other leg and to continue counting her through her contractions. 

“Okay Mel,” Dr. Stevens said. “On this next contraction, I want you to give me all you got.”

“WHAT THE FUCK DO YOU THINK I’VE BEEN DOING?!” Mel screamed and swore if Blaine hadn't been holding her leg, she surely would have kicked that asshole right in his stupid head. 

******

“But my dads always read me three stories before my bath,” Sophie whined, her giant eyelashes fanning across her cheek as she fluttered them adorably and Burt gave in, they could rerun her bathwater if it got too cool. 

The three of them sat on the floor of the bathroom, Sophie cuddled in Carole’s lap, her stuffed bunny tucked under her chin as Burt read all three of those books. 

******

“One more big one, Mel,” Dr. Stevens coached. “One more big one and this baby’s head will be out.” 

“Oh fuck oh fuck oh fuck OH FUCK!” Mel cried horribly, tears streaming down her cheeks and she grabbed Blaine’s hand so hard she was sure she could feel bones breaking.

“You are doing so great, you’re almost there, almost, honey,” Kurt chanted. 

“Beautiful, Mel! Beautiful,” Mary cried with Blaine nodding beside her. 

“I can see it, I can see his head,” Blaine promised as Mel cried out one more time. 

“There you go, you got it!” Dr Stevens called. “That was all you Mel, head and shoulders out, stop pushing.” 

A huge sense of relief coursed through Mel’s body as a screaming, disgusting baby was laid on her chest. 

“It’s a boy!” a voice cried out, but nobody cared who it was. Blaine, Kurt, and Mel only had eyes for one person. 

After a few moments his quiet cries filled the room, the nurses using blanket after blanket to rub him down.

“Hey sweet boy, we've been waiting for you,” Blaine whispered, cupping the baby’s head and crouching to look into his face. 

****** 

“Sweetheart, please don’t cry. You know Grampy can’t handle when you cry,” Burt pleaded as Sophie curled into his chest. 

“My dads always sing me my goodnight songs, I want my daddies.” 

“I know pumpkin,” Burt soothed, kissing the top of her head and rocking her back and forth on her bed. 

“Hey Sophie,” Carole called softly, coming into her room and holding out her phone. “Somebody wants to talk to you.” 

Sophie perked up slightly and took the phone from her Grammy. “Hello?” 

“Hey there, big sister,” Kurt sang softly. 

“Papa?” Sophie sobbed, then realized what he said and sat up smiling. “Really?” 

“Hey sweetie. Yep! You are officially a big sister,” Kurt laughed quietly. 

“Can I come see him?” 

“Not tonight, Soph. Aunt Mel and the baby are really tired. You can come in the morning. We’ll come after you eat breakfast, okay?” 

“Are you coming home now?” Sophie asked, her voice quivering and making Kurt’s heart break. 

“Not right now, monster. I’ll be home later tonight.” 

“But I want you to come home now,” Sophie started to cry. “Grammy and Grampy don’t know my goodnight songs, and I want you to tuck me in.” 

“I’m sorry honey,” Kurt cooed into the phone. “Get into bed munchkin, I’ll sing you a goodnight song.”

Sophie climbed out of Burt’s lap and under her blankets. Burt tucked her in and she held the phone close to her ear as Kurt sang her to sleep. Her eyelids drooped more with every verse until she lost the grip on the phone. 

Burt smiled as he picked up the phone to last few notes of Kurt singing “Stay Awake.” 

“She’s out, bud,” Burt whispered, adjusting the blanket and smiling down at his granddaughter. 

“Good,” Kurt sighed.

“So, we have a new baby?” 

“He is so beautiful, Dad. Seven pounds, three ounces, twenty two inches long.” 

Burt smiled as he pulled Sophie’s bedroom door closed and put his phone on speaker so Carole could hear too. 

“Send us pictures, honey?” Carole asked.

“Of course, so many pictures.” Kurt promised laughing. “Thank you so much, guys. We really owe you one.”

“You don’t owe us a thing!” Carole insisted. 

“Of course not!” Burt cried. 

Kurt laughed and thanked them again, told them which trunk in the living room had the linens for the couch bed and promised to send pictures before hanging up. He walked back into the room and set the two bags of food he'd grabbed on the table. Taking a minute to wash his hands before turning around and smiling. Mel was fast asleep in bed, but Blaine was standing at the window, their son nestled snugly in his arms. Kurt smiled and walked up behind them, wrapping his arms around Blaine’s middle and kissed the back of his shoulder.

“He is so perfect,” Blaine whispered. 

“Yeah he is.” 

“He looks just like you,” Blaine grinned, turning his head to look at his husband. 

Kurt shrugged and shook his head. “Hopefully he’ll grow out of that.”

“Stop,” Blaine pleaded. “I love that he looks like you.” Kurt smiled and sighed as he rested his chin on Blaine’s shoulder.

“How’s Sophie?” Blaine asked as he turned and carefully transferred the baby to Kurt’s arms. 

“Asleep, thank goodness,” Kurt whispered, kissing the baby’s hat covered head. “I think she may have given Dad and Carole a run for their money tonight.” 

“It’s what she’s good at,” Blaine chuckled, leaning his head on Kurt’s shoulder.

“Mmm, I smell fries,” Mel mumbled, turning over carefully.

Kurt turned and grinned at his friend. 

“You would be correct,” Blaine answered, walking over and helping her sit up.

Kurt laid the baby down in the portable crib. The three of them dug in until Mel had to nurse the baby, and Kurt had to go. 

“I’ll be back in the morning with Sophie and my parents,” Kurt promised, saying goodbye to his son before laying him back in Mel’s arms. “With this waking up several times a night thing, I don’t want Sophie to wake up and one of us not be there." 

“I completely understand.” Mel nodded. “Blaine and I will be fine here.” 

Kurt gave Mel a hug and a kiss and promised to bring breakfast in the morning.

“I’m gonna walk him to the elevator,” Blaine told her. “I’ll be right back.” 

Mel nodded as she cradled the tiny baby in her arms with a smile. 

“That’s fine, this little guy and I need a minute alone anyway.” 

They swung their tangled hands between them as they walked to the end of the hallway together.

“So,” Blaine started. “Are we decided on the name?” 

Kurt looked over and smiled. “I think so, don’t you?” 

Blaine nodded and pulled Kurt in his arms as they reached the elevator. “I do.”

Kurt smiled, adjusted Blaine’s cardigan and kissed his cheek lightly. “But no telling anyone til' tomorrow right?” 

Blaine shook his head but leaned in for a proper kiss. “Just us for tonight.” 

Kurt wrapped his arms around Blaine's shoulders and sighed. “Text me pictures of him?” 

“All night long.” Blaine promised him. “Give Sophie a kiss for me?”

“Seventeen times,” Kurt sighed, closing his eyes and letting the smell of his husband wash over him for a few moments. “I love you.”

“I love you, too.” 

Kurt stepped onto the elevator and waved as the doors closed. Blaine blew him a kiss and walked back to Mel’s room. 

“He looks exactly like Kurt,” Mel mused as Blaine walked over nodding in agreement. 

“I know, right down to his tiny toes,” Blaine agreed, leaning down to kiss the top of the baby’s head. 

******

Kurt walked in the door just as Burt and Carole were getting the couch bed pulled out and made up. 

“Hey guys,” he called, dropping his keys and wallet into the bowl by the door. He walked into the kitchen and into Carole’s outstretched arms. 

“Hi sweetheart,” she gushed, hugging him tight before passing him over to Burt. 

“Hi Dad, we've missed you guys.” 

“We've missed you too, bud,” Burt added, finally letting go of his son. 

“Has Sophie been up at all?” Kurt asked, walking into the kitchen to grab a bottle of water. 

“Nope, sleepin' like a babe,” Burt said, sitting down at the table. Kurt came around and sat across from him. 

“Good,” Kurt sighed, taking a gulp of water and yawning into his hand. The three sat at the table for a while, chatting and passing around Kurt’s phone and camera to look at pictures of the baby. 

“You look about ready to pass out, sweetie,” Carole mused, rubbing a hand down Kurt’s back. Kurt nodded and stood up. He really wanted to catch up with his parents, but the day was starting to catch up with him. 

“Yeah, I’m gonna shower and head to bed,” Kurt told them, blowing them both a kiss as he walked down the hallway to double check the door locks and check on Sophie. Once he was satisfied everything was secure, he went into the bathroom to shower. The apartment was dark by the time he finished. Burt and Carole were fast asleep in the living room, with the curtains on the window drawn tight. Kurt was asleep before his head hit the pillow.

******

Blaine sat in the rocking chair rocking his son while Mel slept on behind them. He had been sleeping as well, but the nurse brought the baby a few minutes ago. 

He smiled down at his son as they rocked back and forth “How about we let Aunt Mel sleep for a few more minutes?” he cooed softly. “The sun will be up soon anyway.” 

******

“Okay, we have to be super good, and super gentle with him, okay?” Kurt asked, holding Sophie’s hand as they walked off the elevator. He had stopped at their favorite florist so Sophie could pick out a bunch for Mel. She was grasping the flowers in her hands along with the stuffed giraffe she had picked out for her baby brother. 

“I will,” she assured him, holding tight to his hand. 

“We’ll wait out here, give you guys a few minutes,” Burt told them, hanging back in the family room adjacent from Mel’s hospital room. 

Kurt nodded as he knocked on the door, then opened it. 

“Hey Sophie girl,” Blaine cried, picking her up and kissing her cheek noisily. 

“Hi Daddy,” Sophie murmured shyly, looking over at Mel and smiling. 

Kurt walked over and hugged Mel. “Hey gorgeous.” 

“There’s your Papa, sweet boy,” Mel sang as Kurt leaned down to pull the baby from her arms. 

“Hey sweetheart, I missed you,” Kurt cooed, kissing his son’s forehead. 

Blaine walked over, Sophie snug on his hip. 

“Sophia, meet your new baby brother, Liam Devon Anderson-Hummel.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading!!


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Life is made up of seasons. Some seasons are filled with joy, while others try us in ways we never thought possible. This is the story of Kurt and Blaine, with their amazing friend Mel, making the decision to expand their family, dealing with loss, and learning how to heal together.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> They say the first month is the hardest...how about when you are trying to move your entire family to a bigger, better apartment?   
> The song Kurt and Blaine dance to is called Home, by Gabrielle Aplin and was actually one of the songs that inspired the whole fic!

1 day old

After about an hour of visiting, Kurt was able to snap a [picture](https://www.pinterest.com/pin/324399979382005239/) of his dad and Liam right before Burt was getting ready to reach in and pick the baby up to give back to Mel. Kurt smiled as he showed Blaine his phone. 

“Ohh, we’ll have to print that out for him,” Blaine whispered and Kurt nodded. 

“So we’ll take Sophie home, get everything ready for you guys,” Burt announced, carefully laying Liam back in Mel’s arms to nurse one more time. 

“Thanks so much Dad, that would be amazing,” Kurt replied as Blaine passed a very sleepy Sophie over to Carole. 

“Not a problem at all, sweetie,” Carole assured him, graciously accepting the bundle of small child. “We can grab some lunch on our way. Any requests?” 

“There’s a really great deli about two blocks down from us,” Blaine told them, kissing the back of Sophie’s head. “We have an account there, just charge everything.” 

“It's the same place we got the flowers from this morning," Kurt said. "Make sure you get some chocolate cannolis. As soon as we get all his birth certificate forms filled out and they discharge Mel, we will be on our way.” 

“Take your time,” Burt told them, pulling first Kurt, then Blaine into big hugs goodbye. “We’ll take care of everything.” Carole waved to Mel who was getting Liam situated to feed him. 

After Burt and Carole left with Sophie, Blaine turned to Mel. “Do you want us to wait and take him to the nursery so you can get ready to go?” he asked, picking up the packet of birth certificate forms that had been dropped off that morning. 

Mel and Kurt had signed the forms for the hospital, and now Kurt and Blaine were taking them down to the hospital social worker to notarize for his discharge. 

“No, that’s okay. If he gets too fussy, I’ll call a nurse to come and get him.” Mel sighed as Liam latched and started eating. “I wanna pump a little too, so I’ll probably have to call a nurse anyway.” 

“Okay, we’ll be back as soon as we can,” Kurt promised her, kissing her forehead, then Liam’s. 

Mel laid back and closed her eyes as the little guy continued eating.

“I don’t know about you buddy, but Aunt Mel is ready for her bed.” She laughed after looking down. Liam was not in the least deterred from his meal, his little eyes slipping shut as his mouth kept moving furiously. “Hey, I understand. Food's an important job.” 

Kurt came back in the room just as Mel had finished getting herself dressed. Liam was sound asleep in the crib, not making a peep. “Blaine went to get the car seat, I passed a nurse saying she was on her way with your discharge papers.” 

“Good,” Mel sighed, pulling her hair into a bun on top of her head. “Thank you, hospital gods, for letting me leave since he's my second childbirth." They both laughed as she zipped up her bag and winked at her friend. "He ate and promptly passed out, I was gonna get him dressed...but I didn't know what you guys wanted him to wear home.” 

“Oh, no that’s fine.” Kurt assured her, leaning over the crib to smile at his son. “I’ll do it.” 

“So, everything go okay?” Mel asked, walking over to rub Kurt’s back and look down at the baby as well. 

“Yep, Liam Devon Anderson-Hummel was released to the care of his dads,” Kurt sang as he carefully unwrapped Liam from his baby blanket burrito and pulled his [newborn outfit](https://www.pinterest.com/pin/324399979381079818/) from the diaper bag. “We even have the papers to prove it." 

Blaine came in just as Kurt finished getting Liam dressed, a nurse right behind him. The guys got Liam strapped into his car seat, a blanket tucked around him, while Mel signed all the paperwork for her discharge. 

“An orderly will be here in just a few minutes to take you downstairs, otherwise you are free to go,” the nurse said, shaking all their hands and leaning over to coo at the baby. “Look at that hat and bow tie, so cute!” 

Kurt and Blaine beamed and thanked her. 

Much to Mel’s chagrin, the orderly forced her to be pushed in the wheelchair. Kurt smiled as he walked beside them, holding Liam in his carrier. 

Once outside, Blaine jogged around the side of the car to help Mel into the front seat, while Kurt snapped Liam’s car seat into the base and buckled himself in next to him. 

“We ready to go?” Blaine asked, buckling himself in behind the wheel.

“We’re ready,” Kurt piped up from the backseat and Mel nodded. 

“Punch it, Chewy.”

2 days old

Kate stood outside the school and waited for Sophie to come running out. She had a juice box and a bag of carrot sticks ready for a quick snack on their walk to ballet. 

“Hey!” she called when she spotted Sophie running toward her. She lifted the small girl up and twirled her once around before setting her back on the ground with a laugh. “Did you have a good day, sweets?” 

“Yep!” Sophie agreed happily. “We did finger painting for Art class and I read all my words today!” 

“Whoa! I’m so proud of you! Finger painting? That's awesome, Soph. Let's put your sweater on, it got kinda chilly this afternoon.”

“Kay. Hey Katie, guess what? I have a new baby brother!” Sophie preened as Kate helped her button up her cardigan and put her arms through her backpack again.

“You do? That is too cool, bud.” Kate marveled, handing the little girl her juice box as she took her hand and they started walking toward her dance school.

“Yeah, he’s pretty cute,” Sophie nodded with a crunch as she bit into one of her carrot sticks. “We went to the hopspital-”

“Hospital, sweets,” Kate interrupted, gently correcting the little girl.

“Right, that’s what I said, the hospital. We went to the hospital to get him from my Aunt Mel’s tummy.” 

“What do we do before we cross the street, Sophie?” Kate asked as they came to a crosswalk. 

“We wait for the signal, then we look both ways for idiots.” 

Kate barked out a loud laugh as Sophie looked at her indignantly. “What!? That’s what my Papa says!” 

Kate shook her head, still laughing as they crossed the street and walked up to the dance studio. “I’m sure he does.” 

Kate led Sophie into the building and over to the thinning out changing room. 

“Katie, did you know that I grew in my Aunt Mel’s tummy, too?” Sophie asked as Kate helped her into her tights and leotard. 

“I did. Your Aunt Mel’s a pretty cool lady, huh?” 

“Yep, that’s cause me n' Liam are brother and sister.” 

Kate was pinning Sophie’s hair back into her bun when she stopped and turned the little girl around gently. 

“Well, sweets...you and Liam are brother and sister because you guys and your dads are a family.” 

Sophie looked up at her nanny and rolled her eyes. “I know, that’s what I said.”

Kate thought of the best way she could handle this conversation before turning it over to the guys, then decided to just go with the most basic interpretation she could think of. 

“Right, your dads love you and Liam more than anything else, and that’s what makes you a family, that you guys all love each other.”

“Right,” Sophie exclaimed, clearly exasperated, pulling on Kate’s hand. “Come on, I don't wanna miss the welcome dance.”

Kate packed up the little girls backpack and watched as she danced her way through her class, laughing and giggling with the other little girls and boys, the conversation in the changing room the farthest from her mind. 

******

Kate used her key to let herself and Sophie into the apartment. “Hello?” she called softly, adjusting the sleeping four year old on her hip. 

Kurt rounded the corner from the kitchen and smiled as he walked down the hallway to meet them.

“It started raining so we took a cab. She fell asleep on the way,” Kate murmured as Kurt pulled the sleeping bundle of little girl off her nanny. 

“Hey sweet pea,” Kurt whispered, kissing Sophie’s temple and rubbing her back. “Did you have a good day?” 

Sophie moaned into her papa’s neck and Kurt winked at Kate, motioning for her to come in. 

“We completely spaced on getting cash out for you, and didn't have enough between us for your extra day this week, so Blaine ran down to the ATM to get some more,” he explained, laying Sophie down on the couch and kissing her forehead. 

“Oh you didn't have to do that, I could have waited.” 

“Yes we did," Kurt assured her. "You were a lifesaver on Wednesday, especially since I know you had class. Thank you so much, again.” 

“Well, I was happy to do it.” 

“He should be back any time, but I figured you would probably wanna see Liam.” 

“Oh yes,” Kate answered, nodding enthusiastically. “Let me just wash the city off my hands.” 

Kurt leaned down and carefully lifted the sleeping baby from his pack-n-play.

“Hey sweetheart, this is Kate,” Kurt cooed softly. “And Kate, this is Liam Devon.” 

“Hello there little guy,” Kate whispered, sitting down in the chair with a sigh. “How adorable are you?” 

Kurt sat down on the couch and started playing gently with Sophie to pull her out of her nap. 

“Okay, so Liam Devon?” Kate asked. “I love it.” 

Kurt grinned and nodded. “We’ve loved the name Liam since before Soph here was born, if she was a boy she was gonna be Liam,” he explained, pulling Sophie’s shoes off and rubbing her feet and pulling on her toes as she started to giggle. “And Devon is Blaine’s middle name, it flowed really well.” 

Sophie outright laughed as she kicked her foot away from Kurt and sat up to glare at him. “What are you doing, Papa?” 

Kurt stuck out his tongue and pulled her into his lap to tickle her. “I’m pullin’ on your toes, cause I didn't get a kiss, or a hug, or anyone telling me how their day was!” he told her. Sophie squealed with laughter and wrapped her arms around his neck. 

“Hi,” she said, placing a big smacking kiss on his nose before putting her little hands on his cheeks and grinning at him. 

“Hi baby, how was your day?” 

Sophie wrinkled her nose and shook her head. “I’m not a baby anymore, I’m a big sister. Liam is the baby!” 

Kurt laughed and started kissing her face over and over. “You will always be _my_ baby, you and Liam both.”

“You are so silly, Papa,” she cried, pushing him away from her face and laughing. 

“Yeah, and sleep deprived,” Kurt joked, looking over and sharing a smile with Kate. 

Sophie suddenly sat up. “I hafta go potty,” she announced, climbing off Kurt’s lap and rushing to the bathroom. 

Kurt laughed, shaking his head as he stood up and grabbed Sophie's backpack from the floor. “Any problems? No notes pinned to her?” he asked, sitting back down on the couch to go through her parent folder. 

“Nope, she was good,” Kate replied, looking up from the baby with a smile. “We did have kind of an unusual conversation on the way to ballet, I hope I handled it okay.” 

“Unusual how?” Kurt asked, looking up from the field trip form he was looking over. 

Kate explained their conversation. 

Kurt nodded. “Yeah, we try to make sure she knows that while Mel is her biological mother, she isn't really her mom in the same way other kid's moms are. She has two dads and an Aunt Mel.” 

Kate nodded as she set the sleeping baby back in his pack-n-play. “Which I think is exactly what she was trying to say, every time I explained it back to her she just got huffy and said ‘That’s what I said’.” 

“That sounds a bit like her,” Kurt chuckled as Blaine walked in the door. “I can’t imagine where she gets that bossy attitude from.” 

Blaine rolled his eyes as he walked from the hall and into the room, smiling at Kate. “You are way bossier than I am, mister,” Blaine argued. 

“Uh huh, sure honey,” Kurt said, nodding at his husband and laughing before turning back to Kate. “Eventually we will have to have that long in depth conversation with her about everything, but for now I think you handled it just fine,” he finished with a warm smile.

Kate nodded her head and grinned as Blaine walked over to her. 

“Here Kate, thank you for everything this week,” Blaine declared, handing an envelope over to her. 

“Yes, thank you so much,” Kurt reiterated again. “Really, you were a lifesaver.”

“No problem, thank you,” she assured them, picking up her bag from the floor. “Do you need me this weekend?” 

Blaine shook his head. “My mom will be in tonight, possibly my brother as well. We should be good this weekend, thank you though.”

“If you can on Tuesday,” Kurt started as he walked Kate to the door, “Liam has his first doctor's appointment and I scheduled a check up for Soph as well, but Blaine has a press thing. I could use the extra pair of hands?” 

Kate nodded and smiled. “Sure, that should be fine, and I'll pick Soph up from school on Monday like usual.” 

“Awesome, thanks again.” 

“You are very welcome,” Kate said as she opened the door. “Bye sweets,” she laughed as Sophie came running up to hug her leg goodbye. 

“Bye Katie,” Sophie called, waving down the hall as Kate got on the elevator. 

5 days old

“Hey gorgeous.” Kurt called, walking down the hall and into the kitchen, home from dropping Sophie at school and picking up breakfast. ”You hungry?” 

Mel looked up from where she was feeding Liam and nodded. “Whadya bring me?” she asked, adjusting the burp cloth and pulling her shirt down. 

“I brought you an everything bagel with cream cheese, and a chocolate croissant,” he answered bringing her a plate and the herbal tea she'd requested before he left. 

“Mmm, thank you,” she said gratefully as Liam burped against her shoulder. “Good boy, that was a good one,” she laughed, kissing the side of his head. 

Kurt took the baby from her and nestled him in the crook of his arm, rocking back and forth. 

Mel took a bite of her bagel and sighed. “So Blaine told me Sophie’s been having a rough time.” 

Kurt nodded and sighed, kissing the top of Liam’s head before laying him in the bassinet part of the pack and play that was set up next to the couch. 

“Yeah,” he answered, pinching the bridge of his nose as he collapsed in the armchair and took a sip of his coffee. “I feel so bad for her, 'cause it’s obviously affecting her sleep.” 

Mel groaned in sympathy as Blaine walked in from the bathroom. 

“Her teacher called last week to tell us she was falling asleep in class,” he said from the counter as he pulled a croissant apart and walked over. 

“We compensated by putting her to bed a little earlier, and even letting her sleep a little longer...” Kurt trailed off shaking his head. “But she still is up at least twice, and each time is a fight to get her to go back to sleep. I talked it over with their pediatrician and she said it's not a night terrors thing, because she doesn’t wake up screaming and disoriented. She thinks it just a phase that Soph will eventually grow out of, and for us to just reassure her as much as we can until she does.” 

“Poor thing,” Mel mused, taking a sip of her tea before standing up carefully with a sigh. “I think I’m gonna go nap and relax until tonight." 

“Of course,” Kurt agreed. “We have to make a market run, so text me whatever you need and I’ll put it on the list before movie night.”

Mel rolled her eyes but nodded. “Okay, I will. See you guys later on, I’ll be back around six.” 

******

“My sweet boy,” Kurt cooed as he cuddled Liam in his arm and they rocked back and forth in the rocking chair by the bassinette. “My sweet baby boy, I love you so much.” 

Liam made the most adorable little noises as he curled his tiny fists under his chin and yawned. He fluttered his eyes open, squinted in the harshness of the sun, then fluttered his eyes back to sleep. 

Kurt pressed kiss after kiss to his soft forehead as they continued to rock back and forth in the chair, nobody in the entire world but the two of them...and Blaine fast asleep in the bed across from them. 

******

“Pizza’s on its way,” Kurt announced, walking into the living area where Sophie was hugging Mel’s legs. 

“I still can’t pick you up monster, come sit on my lap though. I wanna hear all about school this week.” 

“Blaine and Liam are having a slight disagreement about a diaper change in the bedroom,” Kurt told her, throwing blankets and pillows from the hall closet on the floor in front of the couch. He had moved the coffee table up against the window earlier to make room. . 

“Uh oh,” Mel laughed, snuggling Sophie into her arms and kissing the top of her head. Her hair still wet from her bath. 

“Poor baby,” Sophie said absently, playing with Mel’s fingers in front of her. 

Kurt looked over at Mel and shook his head with a chuckle. 

“I’m gonna throw a salad together,” Kurt announced, walking into the kitchen. “Mel, can I get you something to drink?” 

Mel looked up and nodded. “Yes please,” she answered. “Sprite would be great.” 

Kurt nodded and started pulling veggies from the crisper drawer. “Soph, why don't you get _Ratatouille_ started? Daddy got it set up for you.” 

“He’s finally out.” Blaine walked down the hall with the baby monitor in hand just as the intercom on the wall buzzed. 

Everyone had just gotten situated at the table with their plates and drinks when Liam's baby monitor crackled to life with his crying. 

“I’ll go, “ Blaine groaned, starting to stand up. 

“No, I’ll get him,” Kurt announced, sighing. “You eat, it’s fine.” 

Kurt walked into the bedroom just as Liam was really gearing himself up. 

“Oh, honey.” he soothed, reaching into the bassinet to pick his son up. “I got you, Papa’s got you. You’re okay, love.” 

Liam wailed and fought against his blanket burrito as Kurt rocked and shushed him, finally calming down after about ten minutes. Kurt rewrapped him and held him close to his chest.

Kurt walked the floor, rocking Liam close to his chest, shushing and hushing him while humming something stuck in his head. 

Blaine came in after about twenty minutes, closing the door behind him as he walked over to Kurt. “I’ll take him, you go eat some dinner.” 

Kurt nodded as he carefully laid the croaking baby into his husband's arms. 

“He just won’t settle unless I’m holding him,” Kurt groaned, rubbing his forehead. 

Blaine nodded, taking Liam in his arms and rocking him back and fourth. “He’s just having a rough night, huh buddy?” 

Kurt sighed again but let Blaine pull him over to kiss his temple. “Go, eat and take a break. I think Sophie turned her movie back on. Cuddle with her a little before she falls asleep."

Kurt nodded and pulled the door shut quietly behind him. Mel was lying on the couch, playing with Sophie's hair where the little girl was laying in front of her on the floor. He grabbed his plate from the table and poured himself a glass of wine.

Mel grinned at him when he walked in and sat on the floor behind them, his plate in his lap and his glass safe on the coffee table. 

“Lucky,” Mel scoffed, with zero venom behind it. 

Kurt grinned and stuck his tongue out. 

_Ratatouille_ was almost over and Sophie was very nearly asleep snuggled next to Kurt on the floor when Blaine walked back in, Liam fussy in his arms. 

“I think it may be time for him to eat again,” Blaine announced. “Do you want me to heat up a bottle?” he asked Mel, bouncing the baby gently in his arms. 

Mel shook her head, sitting up and leaning against the back of the couch. “No, I’ll take him,” she said, holding her arms out. Kurt leaned over carefully, as not to disturb Sophie, and grabbed a few clean burp clothes from the laundry basket under the coffee table. Mel took them gratefully as Liam finally quieted as soon as he latched. 

Blaine stretched out on the couch. “She asleep yet?” he asked Kurt with a yawn. 

“Just about,” Kurt answered with a smile. He leaned down slightly and kissed the top of her head as she cuddled in closer and sighed. “It’s been a long week, huh?” he whispered, kissing her head again. 

“For all of us, Soph,” Mel agreed behind him. 

Blaine harrumphed out a laugh and put a hand on her shoulder. 

10 days old

Kurt yawned as he finished changing Liam’s diaper. Liam was croaking and crying out with his little baby noises as Kurt attempted to dress his tiny body in a yellow onesie with blue pants and hat. He could hear Blaine and Sophie in the hallway, Sophie whining that she didn't want to go to school and Blaine trying to get his bag packed. 

Kurt sighed as he lifted Liam into his arms and shuffled into the hallway. 

“I need help,” Sophie whined as Blaine helped her into the arms of her backpack and fluffed her light brown curls. 

Blaine leaned over to kiss Kurt’s cheek. “Are you gonna be okay today? I know neither of you got much sleep last night.” 

Kurt nodded as Blaine leaned down to kiss Liam goodbye. “Yeah, I’m gonna try to get a little more packing done while he naps, then Mel is gonna take him for a few hours for me this afternoon, so I can meet Iz for coffee and go over the last few things before I officially go on paternity leave. I've been putting it off but we finally agreed to meet today. I’ll be okay.” 

Blaine nodded as he checked his hair in the mirror by the door and adjusted his bowtie. “Try to squeeze in a nap for yourself, as well,” he pleaded, looking back at his husband's tired eyes and wishing he didn't have a full day of meetings, voice lessons, and a press conference. 

Kurt nodded as he knelt down to tell Sophie goodbye. “Have a good day, monster. I should be here when you and Kate get home.” 

Sophie nodded as she and Blaine walked into hall, Kurt waving to both of them as he shut their door and carried Liam down to the front of their loft. A nap sounded pretty great, and he was not going to let himself feel even a little bit guilty for snuggling on the couch with his son for a while before they got their day started. 

He looked around the room at the half packed boxes, at his computer and iPad sitting on the table where he'd left them the night before, and the pile of dirty dishes in the sink. 

“It will all be there in a few hours, huh Li?” Kurt asked his now drowsing baby. Kurt chuckled as he laid them back on the couch and pulled a soft blanket up to ward off the chill that always settled into their mostly stone and brick loft. 

******

Blaine let Sophie push the button on the elevator while he checked his phone to make sure he hadn't missed any texts. He shoved the phone back into his bag once the elevator dinged and took Sophie’s hand as they walked through the building lobby and out onto the street. 

“When we move to our new ‘partment, will I still walk to school?” Sophie asked as they rounded the corner.

Blaine looked down at her and smiled. “For the rest of this year we'll probably have to take the train, but next year we’ll be even closer! Our new apartment is right down the block from your new school. Isn’t that exciting?” 

"It is so exciting, Daddy,” she agreed, kicking a rock out of her way with the toe of her shoe. 

The two walked in silence for a few more minutes before Sophie started asking questions again. 

“Daddy, when Lola comes next weekend, can we go to the park and see the monkeys?” 

Blaine looked over and pulled Sophie close to his body for a biker to speed past them. 

“Well, you’ll have to ask Lola, honey. Papa and I have to spend most of her visit getting our new apartment ready for us to move into. We only have two days to get everything moved because that’s the only time off Daddy could get.” 

Sophie hummed her agreement. “I’ll help!” 

Blaine looked down with a grin and squeezed her hand again as they walked up to the school building. “I know you will. Because you are a great helper.” 

Sophie preened as they walked into her school building. Once Blaine had walked her to her classroom, said a polite good morning to her teacher and a fellow parent, he helped Sophie hang up her backpack and knelt down to hug her goodbye. 

“Have a good day, baby. Love you.” 

Sophie nodded and hugged him back. “Love you too, Daddy.”

Blaine stood and watched until Sophie was happily playing with another student. He checked his watch and hurried out of the building and to the nearest subway stop. 

******

Kurt woke up to a gentle poking on his arm. He opened his eyes with a gasp. Mel laughed and set her hand on his shoulder. 

“Hey, it’s just me, calm down.”

Kurt looked over to make sure Liam was still sleeping soundly in his swing and took a deep breath. “Oh god, what time is it? How long have I been asleep?” 

“Just after ten,” she told him, stepping back when he sat up and continued to rub his eyes. “I came up to nurse him and drop off some milk. I walked in and you were both sound asleep. Rough night?” 

Kurt yawned and stretched. “Yes and no. He was just in a very whiny mood, wanted to be held, didn't want to be put down. We rocked or dozed in the chair most of the night.” 

Mel nodded her head in understanding as she walked back from washing her hands in the kitchen. 

“Shit, I didn't get anything done this morning,” Kurt mumbled as he yawned again and walked into the kitchen for another cup of coffee. 

Mel looked over at him as she got Liam situated in her lap to nurse him. “Well, I came by a little early so you would have a few minutes to get ready for your meeting. Eleven, right?” 

Kurt looked over at her for a moment as he tried to get his brain back on track for what he needed to do that day. “Yes, eleven. Thank you so much. If you're okay I’m gonna go jump in the shower.”

Mel grinned at the baby in her arms and nodded to her friend. “We’re fine, go do your thing.” 

******

Blaine texted his husband as he sat in traffic. He was so late, and he’d been a little frantic when Kurt didn't reply to any of his text messages all morning. 

_No, its okay! I was just starting to get worried when you didn't answer-B_

_Yeah, Liam slept on my chest for all of twenty minutes before I put him in his swing...I swore I was gonna get up and get stuff done, then dozed back off and didn't wake up til Mel came to nurse him-K_

_You needed it honey. Thank you for letting me sleep, but I know you and he were up most of the night. You needed the nap.-B_

_< 3-K_

_Oh hey, before I forget, I ran into Allie today. She said she would be at our place tomorrow at eleven. Is that still okay?-B_

_I guess. I don’t really want to deal with it, but I also know we can’t put off his pictures anymore. And I wanted a few of him and Soph-K_

_I’ll text her and let her know we’re still on. Are you still with Iz?-B_

_No, just got home actually. Gonna get the baby dressed and attempt a grocery run.-K_

_Okay, I’ll be home as soon as this press thing is over, a few hours at most.-B_

_Love you-B_

_Love you-K_

2 weeks old

“We’ll get a routine soon, huh sweetheart?” Blaine cooed at the baby as they walked into the kitchen to warm up a bottle just after five a.m.. He hadn't gotten home until after midnight the night before. He had to admit the standing ovation at the end of the show had felt incredible, but coming home to the man he loved most in this world cuddled up with his tiny baby son in their bed had made his heart ache in all the best ways. If Kurt needed to sleep in a little more this morning, he could give that to him. 

“Papa and I were absolutely crazy to think we could move this soon after you were born.” Blaine chuckled to himself as he laid the baby in the pack and play to change his diaper. “Of course, we are talking about the men who thought getting back together, getting married, and finding a place to live all within the same week was a good idea.” 

Blaine shook his head as he propped Liam in the crook of his elbow and walked back to the kitchen to test the bottle. 

Liam was fast asleep before he could even finish the feeding so Blaine burped him and carried him back to their bedroom, thinking maybe he could squeeze in another hour or two of sleep. 

******

Allie rang their buzzer at quarter til ten. Sophie was up and fed. She was laying on her dads' bed in her underclothes, chattering to Blaine while he attempted to get Liam cleaned up after a very messy diaper change. 

“I got it,” Kurt called, two cups of coffee in his hands as he pushed the button with his elbow, calling for Allie to come on up. 

Kurt walked into the bedroom and handed the cup of fresh coffee to his husband. 

“Maybe this will go quickly,” Blaine sighed as he set the mug down after a quick gulp and cuddled Liam close to his chest. “And we can catch a few winks during nap time. I gotta be at the theater by six for warm-ups.” 

Kurt nodded as Allie walked in the door. 

“Good mornin’,” she called, smiling when Blaine walked over to her with Liam in his arms. “Hello there, handsome man!” she cooed, setting down her equipment bags and leaning down to get a better look at the baby. 

Kurt walked over to give Allie a quick squeeze and told her they had cleaned up their bedroom if she wanted to get set up. Sophie sat on the bed and jabbered to Allie the entire time she worked. 

After about twenty minutes or so, Allie announced she was ready. 

“You guys know how I do,” she joked, adjusting the shade she had set up and took a few practice shots of Sophie lying on the bed and grinning at her. “Just play around and I’ll just keep snapping, we’ll see what we come up with.” 

Kurt looked over from where he had stopped to help Sophie into the white dress she had picked out to wear and grinned, looking over at Blaine who was cuddling Liam against his chest. 

“We know we want a few with the two of them, before we do any individual shots of him...as long as her attention span holds out.” 

Allie nodded as she clicked the shutter a few times, then looked over at her laptop to make sure the lighting was what she wanted. 

“Here,” Blaine started, laying the wide awake baby carefully next to Sophie on the bed. “Soph, just lay down next to him and talk to him,” he told her. 

Sophie looked over at Blaine like he was crazy, but flipped her long hair out of her face and put her head next to Liam’s and babbled to him. He looked straight at her and she kissed his nose, just as Allegra clicked the shutter on her camera five or six times in succession. She nodded to Kurt with a smile that she had gotten [it](https://www.pinterest.com/pin/324399979382799118/), and walked to the other side of the bed for a different angle. 

Sophie hung around for another twenty minutes or so before she lost interest and asked if she could go watch cartoons before lunch while Blaine rocked a now drowsing Liam. 

“Okay,” Allie announced, setting her camera down and twisting her neck so it would pop. “Let’s get him situated so we can do his newborn pictures. Do you have his outfit picked out?” 

Kurt scoffed at her and put his hand on his hip. “Do we have his outfit picked out? Who do you think we are?” he asked as Blaine laughed behind him. 

Allie waved her hand good naturedly and grinned. Once Kurt had dressed Liam in the gray pants and matching hat, Allie set up the blanket and pillow on their bed. 

She moved his sleeping body around in several different positions and snapped [picture](https://www.pinterest.com/pin/324399979382799370/) after picture as his dads looked on, occasionally holding a foot or an arm for her; the final one of just his little head with the hat pulled off. 

Allie declared the tiny baby done and started to pack away her equipment as Kurt dressed him in a seersucker one piece and cuddled him against his chest. It wasn't until weeks later when she sent them the proofs to choose from, they learned she had snapped one last picture. 

4 weeks old

Their entire loft had turned into a maze of stacked boxes and carefully packed Rubbermaid containers. Kurt had made his last round of donations to the Alliance Youth Center and the recycling center that morning. Everything they were taking with them to the new apartment was packed, sealed, and labeled. 

Their dining room table was gone, donated for a family who may need it. They would be doing without one for a little while, until Kurt could find one that fit their new dining room. Sophie was sleeping on an air mattress in her room as she had outgrown her toddler bed. Her new big kid bed had been delivered straight to the 84th Street apartment. 

The entirety of Liam’s pirate themed nursery had been packed since before he was born and was ready to go. Blaine had spent the past week meticulously wrapping and packing every dish, cup, bowl and glass, from their kitchen. Most of their appliances came with the loft, but the few that were theirs, were packed into Rubbermaid containers and labeled accordingly. 

Everything had been pulled from the walls. All picture frames and decorative accents that had survived Sophie’s early walking months, were carefully and meticulously wrapped by Blaine, then packed and labeled by Kurt, and ready to go. 

Kurt rechecked his list the Saturday night before the days they had blocked off for the move. The piano moving company was scheduled to arrive at nine the next morning, and Kurt wanted to be ready to load up the moving truck at the same time...and they still had a lot to do before then. 

Their own bedroom was still a wreck, the bathroom needed to be double checked, and he couldn't forget the storage unit in the basement. 

“Okay,” Blaine called, walking in from the hallway. He'd gotten home a little before, coming straight from the theater. “The kids are both asleep. Sophie’s [outfit](https://www.pinterest.com/pin/324399979382799417/) for tomorrow is laying out, otherwise all of her clothes are packed.” 

“I packed Liam’s bag for spending the day with Mel,” Kurt added, pointing to his diaper bag and carrier sitting by the door. “I think that’s it for them,” he pondered, tapping his pen against the clipboard. 

“We still need to finish our bedroom,” he reminded him as Blaine walked over to him. “And I need to go downstairs to--hey, I need that!” Kurt yelped as Blaine pulled the clipboard from his hands and threw it over on the couch. 

“You’ll get it back, and yes I know we need to pack up our bedroom...but first,” he paused, aiming their iHome remote over his shoulder and turning it on. A [song](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1pLsb1YMsKE) Kurt had never heard, but still sounded vaguely familiar, started as Blaine opened his arms. 

“Dance with me?” 

Kurt thought of all the things they still needed to do, the bathroom, the bedrooms, the fact that he hadn't cleaned behind the piano since he couldn't remember and god only knows what was hiding behind there. 

“This was our first home together Kurt, the first place that wasn’t temporary or somewhere we shared with someone else. This is where we first brought our babies. Dance with me, in our last night in our first real home?” 

Kurt’s heart warmed as he thought of everything they had seen and done and been in this loft. He smiled and slipped into his husband's arms without another thought. They swayed back and forth for a few minutes, quiet as they shared the same space.

“Do I know this song, isn't this Maya?” Kurt asked, his cheek pressed against Blaine’s. 

Blaine nodded, moving his hands up Kurt’s back and kissing the side of his neck. “You’ve probably heard me playing around with it, I had Maya record it for me a few weeks ago.” 

“Is it something for the show you've been working on?” 

Blaine shrugged as the music swelled just a bit, and he held Kurt a little closer. “Maybe,” he said. “Right now it’s the song we are dancing to.” 

Kurt huffed out a small laugh. “I love it, it’s beautiful.” 

“Thank you,” Blaine whispered, kissing Kurt’s neck again. 

They were quiet for a few more moments before Kurt spoke up again. “Sophie took her first steps over there.” 

Blaine laughed softly. “And, if I remember, her first trip to the hospital for the bump on her head a few hours later.”

Kurt shook with quiet laughter as he remembered. “Yeah, stone floors sounded really trendy and aesthetically pleasing when we weren't parents, huh?”

Blaine nodded. “I’ll be glad for the wood floors and carpeted bedrooms of our new place. More cushion for tiny feet.” 

“Me too,” Kurt agreed, sighing as memories came crashing over him. 

The day they moved in, the bickering and arguing that led to the makeup sex they were always so good at. The day Kurt premiered his first full line, and Blaine had gone all _Sweet Home Alabama_. Leading rose petals down the hall to a romantic dinner of takeout and cheesecake for him. The cast party they'd held after Blaine’s first leading role. People packed in like sardines, Blaine playing the piano and Kurt singing and everyone laughing. Their first dinner party when Blaine invited Mel, the friendship they had formed over the last ten years producing two of the most amazing creatures who owned all three of their hearts. How hard it was going to be to not live so close to Mel anymore, but knowing it was time. The bond they shared would never be broken, and she was moving on as well. Luke was chomping at the bit to move in together, and Mel was very close to telling him yes. 

As the song swelled and Blaine held him impossibly close, Kurt let a single tear slip from his eye. He pulled away just enough as to rest his forehead against Blaine’s. “Wherever we go...you will always be my home,” he breathed brokenly. 

Blaine leaned in to press a kiss against his lips. “Home is always where you are,” Blaine whispered, holding Kurt close to him and kissing him again.

******

Sophie was up with the sun the next morning. Blaine rubbed his eyes as he poured her cereal and she bounced around the kitchen. He and Kurt had stayed up until almost three getting their room packed up. Of course on the night they were actually awake, Liam slept for hours on end, only waking to eat. 

“I’m so excited for my new room, Daddy!” Sophie cried, wiggling her little butt on the stool at the counter. “Papa and I picked out my big girl bed!” she told him, like he hadn't been there and seen it just as many times as she had. 

He had to laugh as he set her Cheerios in front of her and poured her a cup of juice. “I’m excited too, monster, but Papa and Liam are still sleeping...so we have to be a little quieter.” 

“When we get to our new ‘partment, we won’t have to be so quiet. Cause it has a upstairs and a downstairs!” she whispered, her voice not much lower than it had been before.

“Well, we still have to use our inside voices...but yes. There is much more room at our new apartment,” he agreed. 

“Blaine?” Kurt called from down the hallway. “Can you put a bottle in the warmer, Liam just woke up and I’m dealing with a diaper explosion!” 

Blaine and Sophie looked at each other and wrinkled their noses. 

“Eww,” Sophie mumbled as Blaine called back. “Yep, need some reinforcements? Sophie just told me she would be glad to help.”

“NO I DIDN'T!!” she cried, throwing Blaine into a fit of laughter. 

******

Luke was eating a bowl of cereal at the counter in Mel’s kitchen when Kurt walked in.

“Reporting for duty, sir,” Luke called with a smile and mock salute. 

“Really?” Kurt asked, walking down the hallway and setting Liam in his carrier on the table. 

“Yep, Mel recruited me since she still can’t do much,” Luke answered, smiling down at Liam who was wide awake and looking around.

“Mel is helping us immensely by keeping this little guy for the day,” Kurt assured him. “But thank you so much for helping too, honestly the more hands the better. And there is pizza and beer in it for you at the end of the day!” 

“I thought I heard you in here, Kurt,” Mel called, walking down the hallway from the bathroom. 

Kurt turned around and smiled, opening his arms for a hug. “Yep, I wanted to drop him off before the place got too crazy. Luke here said you recruited him to help.”

Mel walked over to the table and kissed the top of Liam’s head. “Good morning, sweet boy,” she cooed, before looking back up at Kurt. “Yep, he’s pretty strong and follows directions well.”

“Gee whiz guys, it’s like I’m not even in the room,” Luke mocked. 

Kurt laughed and thanked Luke again for helping, before turning to Mel. “I packed him a couple extra outfits and plenty of diapers and wipes. I also threw a few bottles in there, but you’ll probably want to nurse him, right? Since it's his last day.”

“Yes,” Mel pouted, lifting Liam up out of the carrier and kissing his cheek. “I can’t believe it's already been four weeks. I cried like a baby the last time I fed Sophie, and he is much more interested in it than she ever was.” 

“He’s a boob baby for sure,” Kurt agreed, setting his palm against the back of Liam’s head. 

“A man after my own heart,” Luke quipped, earning an exasperated grin from Mel and a snort from Kurt. “It’s cool little man, I like ‘em too.”

Mel squealed and hit the back of her hand gently on Luke’s shoulder as he ducked and laughed.

“I threw in a few extra blankets and burp cloths as well, but you should be fine. You still have the portable swing, right?” Kurt asked. 

“We’ll be fine, Papa,” Mel assured him, swaying a little with Liam in her arms. “We are just gonna sleep and cuddle all day, aren't we little guy? While your daddies and Luke sweat and lug big heavy furniture around.” 

“Hilarious Melissa,” Kurt deadpanned. “Keep it up and no pizza for you.” 

Mel laughed as she snuggled Liam closer under her neck and winked at Kurt. 

“We will both have our cells if you need anything, and I’ll call you to come get you guys when we are done for the day and ready to order food.” 

“No problem, don’t worry about us,” Mel promised. “We'll be just fine here.” 

“I know you will,” Kurt assured her, leaning down to kiss Liam’s cheek. “Bye sweet boy, Papa will see you later tonight. Be good for your Auntie Mel.” 

Luke leaned in for a kiss from Mel before following Kurt out the door. 

When they stepped off the elevator, they were met with two big men pushing the piano down the hall toward the service elevator on a long dolly-like contraption. Blaine was right behind them, holding tight to Sophie’s hand. 

“The car is loaded up with all of our luggage and clothes, Sophie and I are gonna follow these guys with the piano and unload the car. We’ll be back as soon as they are done,” Blaine informed him. 

Kurt nodded, ruffling Sophie’s hair and telling her to be careful and listen to Daddy at all times. 

“I will,” she promised.

“Rachel and Sam are already here. They're in the kitchen, awaiting your instructions,” Blaine added with a smile as he and Sophie hopped on an elevator and the doors closed. 

Over the next few hours, Sam, Luke, and Kurt carried the couch, chair, entertainment center, Sophie’s bookshelf, and the rocking chairs, down to the waiting moving van. Rachel carried a few boxes and tubs, but claimed she didn't want to strain herself too much...she had a show that night after all. 

Kurt wanted to argue, but he knew how much Sweet Charity was taking out of her...and decided to let it go. He was glad she had shown up at all since she was working that night. 

Once Blaine and Sophie had gotten back to the loft, Kurt and Rachel took the little girl downstairs to clean out their storage unit and load everything into the now empty Prius. Blaine joined the other guys to get the rest of the furniture, filling up the moving truck for the first run. 

As soon as they made it to the new condo, Sophie pulled Rachel upstairs to show off her room and new bed, while the guys lugged all the furniture up. After the truck was emptied, they took a short break to eat some sandwiches before getting back to it. 

Kurt and Rachel stayed behind with Sophie to make sure all the boxes and tubs were in the correct room, while Blaine took Sam and Luke back to the loft.

While they were gone, Mercedes showed up to help with the unpacking. 

Kurt and Sophie showed the girls around while they waited for the guys to come back with the last truckful of their belongings. 

“This place is amazing, Kurt!” Mercedes called as she followed Sophie toward the master bed and bathroom. “Did you paint, or did it come this way?” 

Kurt nodded as he pulled Sophie up onto his hip. “We painted,” he told her. “Lena came last weekend and stayed with the kids so Blaine and I could get the place cleaned, and all the bedrooms painted. We put together the crib and Sophie’s bed, as well as installing the gates at the top and bottom of the stairs.” 

“And ‘christened’ all the rooms,” Rachel added with a wink.

“Rachel!” Kurt hissed, setting Sophie back on the floor and nudging her out of the room. “And not the kids rooms,” he added, both Rachel and Mercedes giggling behind their hands as they followed him.

“I can’t get over how much space you have! There are closets all over this apartment!” Rachel called, opening the closet under the stairs and staring in. 

“Yeah, but we lost our basement storage unit. So it’s a pretty even trade,” Kurt called back, opening a can of Diet Coke and taking a sip. He nodded to Sophie and grabbed a box of juice from the fridge to hand her.

“Still, the walk-in master closet would be enough for me to fall in love with this place,” Rachel nodded. 

“It was a deciding factor, for sure,” Kurt laughed. “That and having room for Blaine’s piano and a bigger dining room living room open concept.”

Kurt’s phone buzzed on the counter. “Blaine just texted, they’re here.” 

Rachel told them she would stay upstairs with Sophie, so Mercedes and Kurt headed downstairs. 

The truck wasn't full this time. Kurt and Blaine’s bed, mattress, vanity and dresser, as well as Liam’s bassinet and changing table. Some odds and ends, boxes and bins also ended up on the truck with the final walk through of the loft. 

“That’s the last of it,” Blaine huffed, he and Kurt lugging their mattress while Sam and Luke brought up the rear with their box spring. 

Sam offered to drive the truck back to the rental place, since he needed to take Rachel home anyway. 

Kurt took Sophie upstairs to arrange her room how she wanted.

“So I can really write on my drawers?” Sophie asked as Kurt finished slipping the newly painted drawers into her dresser. 

“Yep, everywhere it’s black. Just keep where I write what is in the drawer, but otherwise have at it monster,” he told her, hanging her new wall art by her art table. 

He smiled when he stood back and looked at it. The [words](https://www.pinterest.com/pin/324399979381643785/) had made him cry when he first read them, and his favorite local artist, Paige, had made exactly what he had asked for. It was everything he wanted for their little girl, and so much more. 

“Okay, I’ll make your [bed](https://www.pinterest.com/pin/324399979381643783/)...but then I gotta get movin' on other stuff,” he told her, walking over to the Rubbermaid tub where he had packed the new comforter and sheet set she had picked out. 

“Kay,” Sophie agreed. “Can I start putting my books away?” she asked. 

“Sure, and later Daddy or I will put up the shelf so you can put your pictures up,” he told her, tucking her sheets onto the mattress. “And I’m thinking we should get a white chair to match your bookcase, what do you think about that?” 

“I like it, so I can sit somewhere while I read!” she yelled excitedly. 

Kurt laughed as he finished making her bed and walked over to kiss the top of her head. “I’ll be downstairs if you need anything.” 

“Yep.”

******

“Okay, this box goes to the kids' bathroom.” Blaine announced, reading the side that Mercedes wasn't holding. “So this one must be ours,” he finished, picking up the box and following her up the stairs. 

Kurt stood in the kitchen, staring at all the tubs filled with their dishes and pots and pans. He took a deep breath and opened one, hoping it had some plates for the pizza they had just ordered. 

Luke was in the living room setting up their entertainment center. The cable company wouldn’t be arriving until Monday to set up their box and modem, so he just had to connect the TV to the BluRay and stereo system. 

The buzzer rang just as Kurt was starting to feel overwhelmed with everything. He walked toward the door, pausing to ask Luke if he was doing okay--“Yep, not my first rodeo.”-- 

“Hi guys!” Mel called, pushing Liam’s stroller in and laughing.

“Oh, hi buddy!” Kurt cooed, looking down at his sleeping son and pulling Mel into a hug. “How did you guys get here? I told you I would come pick you up!” 

Mel just shrugged as Kurt hurried to the kitchen and washed his hands so he could pull Liam up and out of his carrier. “We took a bus, it seemed silly for you to drive back one more time.” 

Kurt nodded, walking back over to them. “How was he?” 

“Fine,” Mel assured him, kissing Luke in hello. “We had a nice day of doing nothing, ready for some pizza.” 

“Well, you are just in time,” Kurt promised. “Should be here in about thirty minutes.”

Mel nodded as Sophie came running down the stairs, trying to pull Mel up to show off her new bedroom. 

“Oh wait, Mel...before I forget.” Kurt walked over to the counter where he had set out the extra keys. “This one is yours.” 

Mel bit her lip as she accepted the shiny key. She looked over at her friend and kissed his cheek, before nodding to Sophie and allowing the small girl to pull her upstairs. 

******

Kurt was standing in the disarray that was his new kitchen as Blaine walked in. Everyone else had gone home. 

“Okay, I just put up Sophie’s shelf and helped her get her frames put up. She is unpacking her toys and putting them where she wants them,” Blaine told him, grabbing a bottle of water from the fridge. “And Liam is out in our room,” he finished, waving the monitor before setting it down on the counter. 

Kurt nodded, biting his lip as he looked around. 

“You okay?” Blaine asked, setting down his bottle and putting just his hand on Kurt’s shoulder, giving him the out of shrugging it off if he needed to. “Feeling a little overwhelmed?” 

Kurt huffed out a deprecating laugh, but nodded slightly. “A little,” he admitted. “I don’t know where anything is, and I’m feeling like our life is in chaos right now. I don’t even know where anything for tomorrow morning's breakfast is and the coffee maker isn't working. I can’t figure out if it’s the outlet, or if something is wrong with the actual machine. And I can’t believe I actually thought going without a table was a good idea, I need to get on that right away.” 

Blaine nodded his head as he gently rubbed his hand up and down Kurt’s arm. “Okay,” he murmured calmly. “How about this; I unpacked most of our bathroom already. Why don’t you go upstairs, take a long hot shower, and try to let all this go for the night.”

Kurt nodded, letting Blaine rub his arm a few more seconds before he acquiesced and headed upstairs. Blaine used the few moments of quiet to check if the coffee maker was actually broken, or if it was just the outlet. He moved Liam’s stroller into the closet so it looked a little less crowded right by the door, and locked up. 

When he walked into her bedroom to get her into her pajamas he found Sophie was fast asleep, still dressed and sprawled across her bed. 

Blaine chuckled as he pulled her shoes and shorts off before maneuvering her sleeping form to the top of the bed and pulled the covers up over her. He carefully pulled her hair out of the ponytail Kurt had put it into that morning and kissed her forehead, before turning off her lamp and pulling her door to almost shut. 

Kurt was still in the shower when Blaine walked into their bedroom. Liam was fast asleep in his bassinet, but Blaine pushed it carefully to his nursery so they could get the bed put back together and made without waking him. 

By the time Kurt emerged from the bathroom, refreshed and dressed, Blaine had the frame and headboard screwed together. Kurt smiled as he helped him set the box spring and mattress in place before pushing Blaine into the bathroom for his own shower. 

Kurt was sitting up in bed when Blaine walked back in, feeding a very awake and alert Liam a bottle. 

Kurt looked up and grinned. “I went ahead and moved him back in once I finished making the bed,” he explained sheepishly. “Not quite ready for him to be in another room yet.” 

Blaine nodded, turning off the bathroom light and taking a sip of water from Kurt’s glass on the dresser. 

“Me either, really,” Blaine agreed. “Want me to change him?” 

Kurt shrugged and snuggled a little more in the blankets. “Nah, I don’t think he’s gonna go right back to sleep,” he sighed, giving Liam a smile before looking up as Blaine climbed into bed. “I’m sure he napped most of the day with Mel. He might be giving us a run for our money tonight.” 

Blaine leaned over and kissed Liam’s sleeper covered foot and nodded, pulling his phone out to check his email and texts from the day. 

******

The next morning Kurt woke Sophie up and pushed her through her morning routine as best he could, but without the aid of caffeine even he was sluggish. 

“Hi Liam,” Sophie sang. “Who’s a little baby Liam? Who is? Such a little baby buddy Liam!” 

Kurt had to laugh at her. Once he had located Liam’s bouncer, he strapped the baby in and instructed Sophie to keep him entertained for a few seconds while Kurt scrounged around for something for her to eat while Blaine ventured out to get coffee and bagels from down the street. 

Liam was way too small for her to do anything but keep him transfixed with her voice...but it was cute and made Sophie feel like a good big sister. 

“Come eat, honey,” Kurt called, moving a box to set her bowl of cereal down on the counter. “Daddy will be here soon with your bagel and juice, but here’s some cereal to tide you over.”

Sophie climbed up on the chair while Kurt stood behind her to pull her hair back into something manageable for the day. 

Kurt knew Liam wouldn't be content for long, and they had a long list of things to get done while Sophie was in school. Luckily, Kate was picking her up and then had offered to keep both kids for a few hours so the guys could get some shopping done after a day of unpacking. 

Blaine rushed through the door about ten minutes before Sophie needed to be taken to school. 

“Her bagel is already toasted and ready to eat,” Blaine said, handing his husband the tallest coffee he had been able to purchase while taking a bite out of his own cronut. 

“Comfort food, huh? Kurt asked, motioning for Blaine to give him a bite as he bounced Liam in his arms.

Blaine gave Kurt a significant look as he hurriedly helped Sophie into her jacket and backpack, and pushed her out the door. 

“Come on honey, you can eat your bagel on the way.” 

Kurt laughed as he kissed the top of Liam’s head and bounced him a little more. “Just another day in the Anderson-Hummel household.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading!! I know I went a little link crazy in this chapter, but if you were interested, [here](http://streeteasy.com/building/15-west-84-street-new_york/45h) is their new apartment on 84th Street. And [here](https://www.pinterest.com/beffone21/84th/) is the Pinterest board for the apartment.


	9. Chapter 9

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Life is made up of seasons. Some seasons are filled with joy, while others try us in ways we never thought possible. This is the story of Kurt and Blaine, with their amazing friend Mel, making the decision to expand their family, dealing with loss, and learning how to heal together.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A typical Thursday in October filled with daycare, missed naps, piano lessons, and tears all around....all while Kurt and Blaine try to find just a few minutes for each other.

A Thursday in October...

4:47 a.m.

“Holy hell,” Blaine moaned, threading his fingers through Kurt’s hair. “Oh god, baby…that feels so good!” 

He heard his husband hum in agreement as Kurt took him deeper and deeper down his throat, bringing him closer to the edge.

“BA!”

Blaine looked over in confusion. Kurt didn’t seem to hear anything, and kept going.

“BA! DA bada bada!”

Blaine looked down and Kurt was gone.

“Blaine…” Kurt mumbled next to him. Blaine shook himself awake as Kurt continued. “Honey, the baby’s awake.”

Blaine groaned and rubbed his eyes; he rolled over to his side and looked over Kurt’s shoulder at the clock.

“Why does he always sleep til' six when it's your turn to get up with him?” Blaine asked as he reached over to turn off the baby monitor and then cover the back of Kurt’s neck with kisses.

Kurt hummed out a laugh as he started to grind his ass slightly into Blaine’s very obvious erection. “Cause he likes me more, of course.”

“I was having a good dream…” Blaine whined into the back of Kurt’s neck.

“Mmmm, did I make an appearance?”

“Appearance?” Blaine asked incredulously as he pulled Kurt over to laying on his back. “Honey, you are the star of all my dreams,” he finished, smiling as he softly laid his lips on Kurt’s.

Liam started to whimper from his bedroom.

“Go. Take care of our son,” Kurt laughed softly. “When you come back, maybe we can make your dream a reality.”

“I’ll be right back,” Blaine promised, kissing Kurt, one, two, three more times. “Don’t you dare fall back to sleep.”

“I make no promises,” Kurt replied, punching his pillow before settling back down.

Blaine hurriedly passed by Liam’s bedroom first and headed downstairs to make a bottle. He let loose a slew of words he would never say around the kids when he tripped over the gate at the bottom of the stairs and rubbed his calf as he stumbled into the kitchen. Liam had worked himself up to a full blown wailing cry by the time Blaine put his bottle together and placed it into a cup of hot water to warm up. 

“Okay, buddy, it’s alright, Daddy’s here,” Blaine soothed as he walked into Liam’s bedroom and over to his crib. Liam was still half asleep as Blaine patted him down to check for wetness, then picked him up and bounced him gently against his chest. 

“Hey baby, it's okay, it's okay. We’re gonna get you cleaned up, then a bottle, and maybe a little more sleep? It’s still really early, huh?”

With the small amount of light from Liam’s night-light, Blaine laid him down on the changing table and changed his diaper. 

“Alright, sweet boy,” Blaine soothed. “We got another minute or so before your bottle is ready…how about we rock for a bit?” 

Liam clung to his daddy’s sleep shirt, sniffed into his neck and just clung. He held his hands over Blaine’s as he drank his bottle, his eyes slowly slipping shut as he drifted in and out. Blaine continued rocking while humming and patting Liam’s diaper padded bottom.

“I’m pretty sure I could sit and rock with you for hours,” Blaine cooed softly, brushing one of his fingers down Liam’s cheek and across his nose that looked so much like Kurt’s it made his heart ache with love for the little boy.

“However,” Blaine said, standing up. “I have a hot date with Papa.” As gently as he could, Blaine laid Liam back down in his crib.

“I love you so much, buddy,” Blaine whispered, kissing two fingers and laying them on Liam’s face before tucking him into the pirate blanket that Kurt had made for him.

After locking their bedroom door, Blaine hopped over to the bed and pulled his shirt off. As he pulled back the fluffy white down comforter, a mess of light brown curls stopped him dead in his tracks.

“Kurt...." he whispered. "There’s a stowaway in our bed." 

Kurt opened his eyes and looked down at their daughter fast asleep, curled up next to him. “This is your fault,” Kurt insisted, smiling as he rubbed his hand up and down Sophie’s back.

“My fault?” Blaine asked, pulling his shirt back on as he slipped into bed.

“Well, she looked at me with those huge brown eyes, those eyes that look exactly like yours!” Blaine smiled as he threaded his fingers with Kurt’s over Sophie’s back. “How was I supposed to say no?” 

Blaine laughed as he leaned in to meet Kurt’s lips with his own. Kurt hummed his approval as Blaine leaned down to kiss the top of Sophie’s head.

“Rain check?” Kurt asked as they settled back down for a bit more sleep.

Blaine nodded as Sophie sighed. “Rain check.”

6:35 a.m.

Blaine was only vaguely aware of Kurt’s alarm going off. He slipped back into a doze but after only a few moments he made himself sit up. Sophie was still fast asleep in the middle of the bed. Blaine heard the shower start in their en-suite bathroom so he headed that way.

“Hey,” Kurt started, turning to face Blaine with a mischievous grin on his face. “What do you think you're doing?”

“I’m cashing in my rain check,” Blaine growled as pulled the shower door shut behind him. He slipped his arms around Kurt’s waist and started kissing his neck.

“Mmmm, Sophie?” Kurt asked scratching his fingers into Blaine’s hair, tugging to get him to look him in the eye. “She’s in the next room, Blaine.”

“Fast asleep with the door closed,” Blaine nibbled on Kurt’s neck again as his hand slipped down Kurt’s wet body to cup his perfect ass and bring their bodies closer together.

Kurt moaned as he hardened against Blaine’s hip.

“Daddy? What are you doing?”

“SOPHIA!” Kurt and Blaine yelled in unison as they dropped their hands and snapped their bodies together as if their daughter could see through the frosted glass of the shower doors.

“Sophie, what are you doing in here?” Kurt called, adjusting the shower head so it wasn’t spraying in Blaine’s face.

“I had to go potty!” Sophie sang, cheerfully.

“Sophia Elizabeth, you have a bathroom!” Blaine called, but Kurt shushed him.

“I had to go so bad! I couldn’t make it,” she protested, then paused. “Are you both in there?”

“Oh, I…um, well,” Blaine stammered.

“Why?”

“Blaine, stop!” Kurt hissed. “Sophie, you can watch fifteen minutes of cartoons before it's time to start getting ready for school….and don’t…”

“Sophie don’t flush the toilet!” Blaine and Kurt both finished together.

“Okay!”

“Well, that could have gone better.”

“Oh my god, Kurt! Did we just scar our daughter for life? Please tell me we didn’t just scar our daughter for life?”

“Oh, calm down, it wasn’t that bad,” Kurt chastised, pulling away from his husband and adjusting the sprayer again. “She’s fine and didn’t see anything.”

“Kurt, when I was seven, I walked in on my parents and I still…” he shivered as he soaped up a loofa. “I may not remember what I saw, but I definitely remember how I felt.”

“Honey, she’s five,” Kurt laughed, leaning back to rinse the conditioner out of his hair. “She was more interested in the fifteen minutes of TV time than why we were in the shower together.” He leaned in to brush his lips against Blaine’s. “Calm down, okay? Its not the same as what, I’m sure, was your very traumatic episode.” 

Blaine rolled his eyes as they switched spots so Blaine could rinse the shampoo from his hair.

“I’m done, rain check on your rain check?” Kurt asked with a sly grin.

“I guess,” Blaine smiled, leaning into the kiss his husband was offering.

Kurt opened the shower door and stepped out, but leaned his head back and smiled again. “Besides, we have many more years to scar and screw her up.”

“That’s not funny, Kurt!” Blaine called as Kurt shut the shower door and cackled with laughter. “It’s not funny! I don’t want to screw her up at all! Either of them!”

Kurt continued to chuckle quietly to himself as he toweled off and started moisturizing.

“Papa Bear, engage,” Kurt mumbled to himself as he squeezed toothpaste on both his, and Blaine’s toothbrushes.

“Did you say something?” Blaine asked as he turned off the water and opened the shower doors. 

Kurt looked up and met Blaine’s eyes. “I love you?” he asked, smirking around a mouthful of toothpaste. 

“Mmmhmm,” Blaine replied, side-eyeing his husband as he toweled off and started to brush his teeth.

“I hear Liam,” Kurt said, rinsing then kissing Blaine softly on the cheek. “Let me get dressed and I’ll get the kids started while you make the bed.” Blaine nodded, soaping up his face to shave.

Ten minutes later, Kurt was dressed with his tie hanging loosely around his neck. He walked toward his son's bedroom.

“Soph,” he called down the stairs. “TV off. Come up and wash your face and brush your teeth.” 

7:28 a.m.

“Good Morning, family!” Kurt called as he laid his coat and scarf carefully over the couch and walked into the dining room.

“Morning Papa!” Sophie called, standing up on her chair to give her papa a kiss.

”Morning sweetheart,” Kurt replied kissing his daughter. “Sit down, honey. You’re going to fall.”

Sophie smiled as she held Kurt's hand and sat back down to eat her breakfast. 

“Mmm, Cheerios huh?” Kurt nodded to Sophie and Liam’s bowls as he pulled the front of Sophie’s hair into a barrette.

“And toast,” Blaine agreed, setting a plate down on the table and handing Kurt a mug of his favorite tea.

“Thank you.”

Blaine sat down with the kids, but Kurt stood at the counter in the kitchen, checking Sophie’s backpack and making sure Liam’s diaper bag was stocked. He walked into the living room to collect his laptop and the sketches he had been working on the night before.

“Blaine, do you want a lunch?” Kurt asked Blaine as he walked back toward the kitchen and threw his bag on the couch next to his coat and scarf. Blaine was feeding Liam the last of his yogurt and Kurt stepped over to wipe him down.

“If you’re done Soph, put your dishes in the sink.” Blaine instructed his daughter then turned to his husband. “No, and neither does Sophie.”

“Oh right, field trip.” Kurt remembered with a nod, sipping the last of his tea. He walked over to the cabinet and shook out vitamins for himself and Blaine, then a vita-gummy for Sophie and passed them out.

“Sophie, go wash your hands then come back and put your coat on,” Blaine called, pulling Liam out of his high chair and handing him over to Kurt. “We need to get going.”

Sophie skipped down the hall as Kurt and Blaine maneuvered Liam into his [sweater](https://www.pinterest.com/pin/324399979381074219/), coat, hat and mittens.

“Why are we always rushing out the door?” Blaine asked, pulling on his coat and wrapping a scarf around his neck.

“Because you decided two was better than one.” Kurt joked, kissing Liam’s forehead as Sophie ran in.

“Dads, can we go to the zoo this weekend?” she asked, shrugging into the coat Blaine was holding open for her.

“I dunno sweetie, maybe,” Kurt said handing Sophie her backpack and Blaine his bag as he balanced Liam on his hip. “But Daddy has to work and you have a Olivia’s birthday party on Sunday, remember.”

“Oh yeah! But we can still go to the zoo right?” Sophie asked as Blaine tried to corral her out the front door.

“You and your bright ideas.” Kurt scoffed, following his husband and daughter out the door.

“Hey, if I remember correctly,” Blaine started as he patted his jacket to make sure he had his phone and keys. “You weren't the one arguing with my bright idea.” 

Kurt rolled his eyes but grinned and pulled the door shut behind them.

8:03 a.m.

The four of them walked the three and a half blocks to Sophie's school together. Kurt held Liam while Blaine securely held Sophie's hand in his as she babbled on between them. Once they reached her school, she gave each of her dads a quick kiss before running into the building, her hair flying and her [fox backpack](https://www.pinterest.com/pin/324399979381074863/) bouncing on her shoulders, a monitor waving that she would follow her in. 

“Okay,” Blaine announced, turning to Kurt as soon as they lost sight of Sophie. “Want me to take him for the walk to the subway?" 

"Yeah," he said, handing the baby over to rummage through his diaper bag. "I think we are gonna catch a cab though," Kurt replied as they walked to the end of the block. "I hate doing this without his carseat, but I have his snuggie thing and I think it may be quicker, but we'll walk with you to the stop. 

Blaine had been making goofy faces at their son as he bounced him in his arms and they walked around the corner to the subway station stop. "Do you wanna grab a coffee before we go? I have a little time." 

Kurt shook his head, throwing his arm out to hail a cab. "We better not, just in case there's traffic. I wanna get there as early as possible. I've been able to work from home the past few Thursdays so he hasn't been to daycare in a while, and we know he gets a little freaked when thrown into the unknown." 

Blaine nodded and leaned in with a smile. “Love you,” he told him as he kissed Kurt once, twice, three times before Kurt started giggling. 

“I love you, too,” Kurt smiled as a cab pulled up. Blaine let Kurt get situated before he leaned down to help him buckle Liam to him then kissed the top of his head.

"I'll be in Brooklyn for a few hours but then I'll be by to pick him up so he can nap at home." 

Kurt nodded and Blaine stepped back to close the door for them. “I’ll see you in a few hours, Jimmy Jam.”

“Bye Daddy. Don’t call me that, its weird,” Kurt called as Blaine shut the cab door and laughed.

9:52 a.m.

_Incoming Call Blaine_

“Hey,” Kurt answered as he walked into his office and sat down.

“Hi, I had a quick minute for a caffeine break and I wanted to check how it went this morning,” Blaine finished saying a quiet thank you to the barista who handed him his medium drip.

Kurt groaned and lowered his head to his desk. “Horrible,” he mumbled, his voice muffled. “It was horrible. Traffic was even worse than usual and we were so late.” Kurt sighed as Blaine made a sympathetic noise. “I had about five seconds and the woman was new, so Liam didn't know her at all...he looked at me like that very nice woman was ripping him from my arms. He was screaming…he hates me.”

“Oh Kurt,” Blaine commiserated. “He doesn’t hate you.”

“I felt like shit, Blaine. I knew I had to go, but even I felt like she was ripping him from my arms. He doesn’t know her, he didn’t know where he was and he was so freaked out. And I just left him there…I felt like such a crap father.” Kurt leaned back in his chair and rubbed his eyes to stop the tears that were threatening to start.

“You are an amazing father, Kurt,” Blaine said softly. “This is just a bad day, for both of you.”

“I hate that Grace has a class on Thursday mornings,” Kurt mumbled and Blaine groaned sympathetically.

“I know, honey. I’m sorry.”

Kurt sat up and shook his head. “Anyway, how is your meeting going?”

“Eh, okay. I’m not crazy about anybody yet…and the piano here is seriously out of tune.”

“Eww!”

“I know, right?” Blaine laughed at Kurt’s reaction. “I gotta go back in though. I’ll be in to pick Liam up in a bit, noon at the latest. Want us to stop in, maybe grab some lunch together?”

Kurt sighed sadly. “I have a lunch meeting, and I have to go to Chelsea this afternoon to check on a shoot…I would really love that, but…” Kurt trailed off, looking over his schedule to see if he could work it out but Blaine interrupted him.

“Hey, its okay, we’ll see you tonight, okay?” Blaine whispered as he walked back into the studio.

“Yeah, yeah of course, give Liam a kiss for me.” 

“I will, love you.”

Kurt smiled as he looked over to the pictures he kept on his desk. “I love you, too.”

1:07 p.m.

“There’s Daddy,” Mel cooed as Blaine swept in the door.

Blaine smiled as he unwrapped his scarf and shrugged out of his coat.

“Hey, buddy,” Blaine laughed as Liam flapped his hand and laughed in Mel’s arms. Mel looked over at Blaine and chuckled.

Blaine hung his coat and scarf in the closet and dropped his bag on the table on his way to where Mel and Liam were standing in the kitchen. Liam was leaning and making grabby hands toward Blaine.

“Hi sweet boy,” Blaine sighing as he kissed Liam’s forehead. He rubbed his back before turning to Mel. “Have you been here long?”

“Nah, only about ten minutes or so,” she assured him, cupping her hand on the back of Liam’s head where it was resting against Blaine’s shoulder.

Blaine nodded as he swayed with Liam, kissing the top of his head. “Did you have a rough day, baby?”

Liam reached his hand up to pat Blaine’s face as he nuzzled into his dad's neck.

“Thank you so much, Mel,” Blaine said. Mel put on her coat and picked up her scarf and bag. “That meeting took way longer than I thought it would.”

“No problem at all, I’m glad I was close and could help, Luke and I have been looking at condos all week long.” 

Blaine walked into the kitchen and started a bottle for Liam. "Close to us, I hope?" 

“Have you eaten, want me to stick around, order some Chinese food?” Mel asked after grinning at him.

“No, thanks but, I gotta get this munchkin down for a nap. Kurt just texted that his lunch meeting was canceled and he is going to stop by to ‘grab some fabric’ he left here,” Blaine motioned with finger quotes.

“Oooo,” Mel winked, wrapping her scarf around her neck. “Alone time?”

Blaine laughed as he stuck the bottle in a cup of hot water and grabbed a water from the fridge for himself. “Oh god I hope so. It’s been, well, it’s been a while,” Blaine mumbled giving Mel a significant look over Liam’s head as she started laughing. 

Mel continued laughing as she walked over. “See you Sunday?”

“Absolutely!” Blaine assured her as he held the door open and kissed Mel’s cheek.

“Alright Jimmy Jam,” Blaine sang to his son as he grabbed the bottle from the warmer and headed toward the stairs. “If you could drink this and take a nice long nap, it would really help me out…can you do your Daddy a solid?”

He laughed as Liam stuck his little fingers inside Blaine’s mouth.

1:29 p.m.

Kurt hurried in the front door. He pulled off his coat and scarf, laying them carefully over the couch and flew up the stairs calling Blaine’s name.

Blaine stood in the hallway pulling Liam’s bedroom door shut and flapped the burp cloth in his hand in Kurt’s direction to shush him. 

“Sorry,” Kurt whispered, walking toward Blaine and raising his eyebrows. “Is he asleep?” he asked, taking Blaine’s hand and leaning in to listen.

“Not really. He’s so tired from not getting his nap this morning, he is fighting sleep. But he’s babbling to himself and his music is going, so it shouldn’t be long.” 

Kurt smiled and started running his hands up and down Blaine’s arm, leaning in to kiss him.

Blaine laughed as he pulled Kurt back to their bedroom, both of them sharing giggles between kisses. Blaine moaned as Kurt pushed him back on the bed and grinned mischievously.

“Oh god, I’ve missed this,” Kurt groaned as he climbed up to straddle his husband.

“Mmm, less talking, more kissing,” Blaine insisted, propping himself up on his elbow just enough to bring Kurt’s mouth back to his and drop them both back down to the bed. Kurt laughed as he rolled Blaine over and skimmed his hands up his body, starting to pull on the knot of his tie, covering Blaine’s mouth with his own. 

Just as Blaine had gotten Kurt’s belt and tie undone…

“DA! Da da da da,” screeched from the monitor next to the bed. Kurt snapped his head up and looked over.

“No, no no, come on,” Blaine groaned, trying to pull Kurt’s attention from the monitor and back to what they were doing.

Kurt whimpered as he began kissing Blaine again and just as Blaine got his hands in Kurt’s hair, the (albeit loud) jabbering from their son turned to whimpering and pitiful noises.

Kurt sat up slightly and bit his lip.

“Baby, come on,” Blaine tried again running his hands over Kurt’s neck, then up and down his arms. “He’s fine and will fall asleep soon.”

Kurt sat up completely, rubbing his face.

Liam wailed again, his voice wet and miserable.

“I can’t,” Kurt moaned and Blaine covered his face with his hands. “You didn’t see him today, honey. I can’t be here with you, really be in here with you, when I know he is in there upset. I can’t,” Kurt pleaded, taking Blaine’s hands off his face.

“Kurt,” Blaine all but whined. “It’s been three weeks. Three _weeks_!” 

“I know, but...I can’t.” Kurt rubbed his hands down his face. “I’m sorry.

Blaine looked up at his husband, his gorgeous, kissed swollen lips, still wonderful weight on top of him husband…and groaned as he pushed Kurt off.

“Go, but by this point I think we need to upgrade your rain check to a ‘flood’ check.”

Kurt stood up, re-buttoned his pants and belt and ran his fingers through his hair before he turned off the baby monitor. He smiled as he leaned down to kiss his husband's forehead.

“I love you, you know that?”

“Yeah,” Blaine sighed keeping his eyes closed as he forced his body to calm down. “I love you, too,” he called as Kurt walked out of their bedroom and into Liam’s, talking softly to him.

2:07 p.m.

Kurt smoothed his vest as he walked down the stairs. He pushed his way through the unhinged baby gate to see Blaine sitting at the table. He was flipping through a magazine and eating a turkey sandwich with baby carrot sticks and hummus.

“He’s out,” Kurt announced with a tired smile.

Blaine looked up and grinned. He pushed a plate in Kurt’s direction. “I made one for you, too.”

“Aw, thank you,.” Kurt hesitated, sitting down in the chair next to his husband, taking Blaine’s hand under the table. “Mad at me?”

Blaine looked up from his issue of Japanese Vogue and smiled. “Not even for a second,” he assured him, leaning in for a sweet and chaste kiss, lingering just for a second until they were both laughing softly at each other.

“I need to get moving if I'm gonna make it to Chelsea,” Kurt sighed. “Can I take this to-go?”

“Sure.” Blaine stood up and walked over to the cupboard for a napkin to wrap Kurt’s sandwich in while Kurt ran to the bathroom. 

Blaine was holding his coat open for him when he walked back into the living room. Kurt smiled as he shrugged into his coat and wrapped his scarf around his neck, took the wrapped sandwich from his husband and kissed him softly in goodbye.

“Have a great rest of the day,” Blaine murmured, his lips still pressed against Kurt’s.

“I’ll see you tonight, honey.”

4:06 p.m.

“Hi Daddy!” Sophie called as she and her new nanny Grace, walked in the door.

Blaine was standing in the living room, folding a load of laundry and listening to music from the stereo in the corner. “Hi baby,” he smiled, laughing as Sophie dropped her book bag and coat on the floor and jumped into Blaine’s arms.

Blaine laughed as he dropped the towel he had been folding and caught his daughter, settling her on his hip. “Did you have a good day?” he asked, kissing her multiple times on her cheek as she giggled. “Did you have fun at the aquarium? How was tap class?”

“Good! Dad, can I have a snack?”

“Yes,” Blaine nodded. “But first, I need you to go pick up your coat and backpack and put them where they go. Then you can grab a snack before piano, okay?” he finished, kissing her cheek one more time before setting her carefully on the floor and tousling her brown curls.

“Okay,” Sophie sang as she ran around the couch to pick up her stuff.

Blaine smiled at Grace as Sophie hung up her coat and ran into the kitchen. They had only hired her about a month before and although Blaine could get along with anybody, and she seemed nice, she was still very quiet and hard to read sometimes. Kurt had mentioned the other day he wasn’t sure if she was going to work out, especially since she had a prior commitment on Thursdays so couldn't keep Liam. But Sophie and Liam seemed to like her, so Blaine had no complaints. 

“So, he didn’t go down until almost two,” Blaine told her, widening his eyes. “I can’t imagine he will wake up before her lesson is over, but would you mind hanging around…just in case?”

“Sure, no problem,” Grace agreed as they walked into the kitchen together. Sophie was standing in the doorway of the pantry, on her tip-toes, trying to reach a box of granola bars. Blaine walked over, grabbed a bar from the box and handed it to his daughter.

“Thank you, Daddy,” Sophie said taking a big bite.

“You're welcome, baby. Go sit at daddy’s piano and eat your granola bar, I’ll be there in a few minutes.” 

5:21 p.m.

“I know buddy, I know. You’ve had a rough day huh?” Blaine soothed as Liam cried into his shoulder, rubbing his eyes. “Do you think I could put you down to play so I can finish dinner?”

No such luck. Liam grabbed fistfuls of Blaine’s shirt and screeched as he fumbled to cling to his dad when Blaine attempted to put him on the floor with some of his blocks. This attitude was so out of character for the little guy, Blaine couldn’t find it in his heart to put him down. He'd woken up twenty minutes after Blaine had sent Grace home. He wished he'd asked her to stay so he'd have an extra pair of hands to get dinner on the table. 

“Okay, alright, I’m sorry,” Blaine sighed as he secured his son on his hip and stirred the chopped potatoes boiling away on the back burner of the stove.

“Daddy, what are we having for dinner?” Sophie asked from under the table where she was happily coloring.

“Ummmm,” Blaine answered absently as he held Liam as far away from the stove as he could. He checked the chicken that was simmering away in the mushroom sauce. “Chicken Marsala…Chicken and mashed potatoes,” he finished, sighing at the cutting board of uncut veggies for their salad. There was no way he could hold Liam and chop, and Kurt wouldn’t be home for another half hour or so.

Sophie was fine. She'd finished her take-home worksheet and grabbed her art supplies before heading to her favorite spot in the house…under the table.

Liam on the other hand; Liam had woken up from his nap crabby. It had taken Blaine almost twenty minutes to get his diaper changed and clothes back on because he was whining and crying so much and now he just wanted to be held.

Blaine sat on the floor next to the table, Liam in his lap, and picked up the truck and blocks, desperately trying to get him interested in his toys enough so he could finish dinner. He had to go to the theater that night to help the stage manager, then a cast party afterwards. He'd skipped the last few, so he needed to go to this one. If dinner was delayed too much, he would have to leave before he would get to spend any time with his family.

After about ten minutes, Liam crawled off Blaine’s lap. He was gumming on one of his rubber ducks and watching Sophie kick her feet against one of the chairs. Blaine saw his opportunity and took it. He stood up and hurried over to where the pot of potatoes was threatening to boil over. The chicken had just finished browning, so Blaine turned off all the burners and drained the potatoes in their industrial sized sink just as Sophie started yelling.

“LIAM! NO!”

Blaine spun around, “Sophia Elizabeth, what on earth?”

“He’s trying to eat one of my crayons…and he stinks!” she yelled as Liam started crying.

“Well, that explains why he was being quiet,” Blaine sighed. Liam had scooted over to where Blaine was standing, pulling on his dad’s pant leg, tears running down his chubby cheeks.

“Whoa,” Blaine groaned, making a face when he picked Liam up. “Soph, I’m going upstairs to change him. The stove is off, but everything is still hot, so don’t touch anything, okay?”

“Yep,” Sophie agreed as she resumed her coloring.

5:49 p.m.

Kurt walked in the door to a quiet apartment.

He could definitely smell dinner on the stove, but didn’t see anybody in the kitchen, dining, or living room. Looking around he pulled off his coat and scarf and hung them both in the closet for the time being, just as he heard someone coming down the stairs.

“Hi,” Kurt called as Blaine rounded the corner with Liam on his hip.

“DA!” Liam cried making grabby hands toward Kurt. Kurt laughed as he leaned in to give Blaine a kiss and take the baby.

“Hey,” Blaine replied with a tired smile as he passed the baby to his husband.

“You okay?” Kurt asked, cupping the back of Blaine’s neck as he bounced Liam on his hip.

“Yeah,” Blaine nodded, leaning in for another kiss, for which Kurt happily obliged. “Mr. Crabbypants here has been giving his dear old dada a hard time since he woke up from his nap,” Blaine explained as they both walked in the kitchen. 

“Where’s Soph?”

Blaine turned around frowning and ducked to look under the table. Sophie was fast asleep on the floor. Blaine shook his head and laughed as he pointed.

Kurt shook his head as well as he chuckled to himself. “What is her fascination with being under there?” he asked, strapping Liam into his high chair. 

“I don’t know, but she flipped out earlier when Liam crawled under there. Now, granted…he was chewing on one of her crayons and had a diaper full of poop,” Blaine admitted as he picked up a knife and finished chopping veggies for their salad as well as some strawberries and pineapple for Liam.

Kurt laughed as he pulled the jar of semi-pureed sweet potatoes out of the hot water he used to warm them up before grabbing a yogurt from the fridge as well.

“I used to hide under my mom’s dresser after she died, but I think that was because it still smelled like her,” Kurt told him, grabbing plates and silverware to set the table.

“Mmm,” Blaine made a sympathetic noise as he stepped over to kiss the back of Kurt’s neck. “How was the rest of your day?” He asked. 

Kurt tossed the salad together and set the bowl on the table.“It was good." He nodded as he unbuttoned and rolled up his sleeves while Blaine moved a chair to kneel down on the floor. “Small fires everywhere, and my assistant, Tate is becoming less and less reliable.”

“Sophie, baby, come on. It's time for dinner, you need to get up,” Blaine called softly as Sophie groaned and sat up. Blaine sat back up and went to wash his hands. 

“Uh oh, is he on the fast track to splitsville?” Blaine asked, setting the bowl of mashed potatoes on the table before he sat down on the other side of Liam. 

“ _Papa_ ,” Sophie whined as she crawled into Kurt’s lap, the question forgotten by both of them as they sat down for dinner.

“Hi, monster,” Kurt cooed, kissing Sophie’s temple. “How was your day?”

Sophie just groaned into her papa's shoulder. Kurt shrugged at Blaine and ran his hand up and down Sophie’s back.

Blaine smiled at his daughter as he dumped the cut fruit chunks onto Liam’s high chair tray.

“This smells great, honey,” Kurt praised, handing Blaine his plate to load with food.

“Thank you,” Blaine smiled. “Sophie, are you hungry?”

“Yes,” she mumbled into Kurt’s shoulder.

“Okay, then you need to sit in your chair and eat,” Kurt told her. Quiet, but firm. 

Sophie grumbled, but climbed back over to her chair and picked up her fork to eat the food Blaine had cut and served her.

“You have to go to the theater tonight, right?” Kurt asked as he attempted to help Liam with his dinner while simultaneously eating his own.

“Yeah,” Blaine answered, standing up and moving behind Sophie to pull her hair back into her barrette so it didn’t keep dropping down into her food. “I really wish I could skip it, but I need to talk to Larry anyway and I’ve already blown off the after party three times, I need to go to this one. I could use the networking anyway."

“Daddy, can I have some juice?” Sophie asked, looking up at Blaine.

“No juice, you had a juice box earlier. Milk or water?” Blaine asked heading into the kitchen.

“Chocolate milk?” she asked hopefully.

Blaine looked over at Kurt, who gave him a small nod. He would be the one home with her that night, it was his call.

“Alright, chocolate milk it is. Kurt?”

“I’m just gonna stick with water, thank you though.”

“What time do you need to leave?” Kurt asked as Blaine screwed the lid on Sophie’s cup and walked back to the table, another bottle of sparkling water under his arm for himself and Kurt to share.

“No later than seven,” Blaine answered, setting Sophie’s cup on the table and giving her a smile and “your welcome” in response to her “thank you.”

“Want me to take over?” Blaine asked as he sat back down and motioned to Liam.

“Nah,” Kurt shook his head with a smile.

Liam, who was pretty serious about food, was only taking breaks from plopping chunks of fruit into his mouth, to accept bites of his sweet potatoes from Kurt.

“Were you planning on changing?” Kurt asked, taking a bite for himself and watching Liam carefully as he worked on a larger chunk of strawberry. They were attempting something called Baby Led Weaning. It was fun to watch him experiment with different textures of food, but it required a very watchful eye to make sure his little mouth and throat could handle everything they gave him. 

“Not really…” Blaine trailed off looking down. The trousers he had worn that day still looked pretty good with hardly any wrinkles, and he had managed to cook all of dinner without getting anything on his grey button up and vest. “Do you think I need to?”

“Not if you wanted to take some of Liam’s snot with you,” Kurt grinned as he nodded to Blaine’s right shoulder.

Blaine looked to where Kurt had pointed and groaned. “Yeah, he was a little crabby when he woke up.”

Kurt looked over to the grinning boy, covered in fruit juice, banging his fists together in attempt to baby sign in order to ask for “more” and laughed quietly to himself as he fed Liam another bite.

“Papa!” Sophie announced suddenly, looking at Kurt. “You’ll never guess the gross thing this baby turtle did today!”

7:15 p.m.

“Soph, put your dishes in the sink, then go wash your hands,” Kurt instructed her, wiping Liam’s face and hands down after he finished clearing the table.

“Blaine!” he called pulling Liam out of his chair. “It’s after seven!”

“I know, I’m going now,” Blaine answered, hurrying into the kitchen while pulling on his coat and scarf.

“Sophia, come say bye to Dad,” Kurt called, fixing Blaine’s collar and leaning in to kiss him goodbye.

Blaine leaned into the kiss, pulled back with his eyes still closed, thought for a second, shook his head and leaned back in for a second, deeper kiss as Sophie ran in.

“You’re leaving?” she asked, her eyes filling with tears.

Blaine kneeled down and wrapped his daughter in a hug while Kurt stood watching.

“Yeah sweetie, I gotta go to work for awhile. Papa’s staying here with you.”

“But, I don’t want you to go,” she said, her tone very close to wailing. And even though Blaine knew she was tired and had been a little crabby through dinner, not acting completely like herself, his heart still broke a little. “I want you both to stay here,” she finished, wrapping her arms around his neck.

“I know, baby, but I have to go, and you need to start getting ready to calm down for bed. I promise we’ll do something together tomorrow night, okay?”

Sophie nodded into her dad’s neck, but Blaine felt his stomach drop. How many times had he heard those exact words from his own dad growing up?

“Sophie,” Blaine started, pulling her out of the hug and looking into her eyes. “I promise, tomorrow night, you, me, Papa, and Liam will spend the night together, okay? I promise.”

Sophie nodded as she sniffed again.

“Okay,” Blaine sighed, pulling his daughter back into a hug, kissing the side of her head. “I’ll come in and kiss you goodnight when I get home,” he promised, standing up to face Kurt.

“You okay?” Kurt asked quietly as Blaine leaned in to kiss Liam’s forehead.

Blaine nodded as Kurt cupped his husband’s cheek.

“I’ll see you tonight,” Kurt repeated. Blaine waved and walked out the door. Kurt looked into the kitchen and shook his head. His daughter needed him more than the dishes did.

“Alright munchkins,” Kurt held out his hand for Sophie. “Let’s watch some cartoons before bath time.”

8:27 p.m.

Kurt laid a still drowsing, but not completely asleep, Liam down in his crib. He rubbed his hand up and down Liam’s back as he hummed along softly with the music as the baby drifted to sleep.

Sophie’s shower had stopped running just as Kurt had stood up to lay Liam down, so he needed to get in there to make sure she was in her pajamas and her hair was combed out.

Once he was satisfied that Liam was at least asleep enough for him to leave, he grabbed the baby’s dirty clothes and empty bottle, and softly pulled his bedroom door shut.

“Hi sweetie,” Kurt yawned, walking into Sophie’s bedroom.

“Hey Papa.” Sophie answered him quietly. She had dressed herself in her blue and pink [star pajamas](http://www.pinterest.com/pin/324399979381627129/) and was sitting on the floor, playing with her dollhouse.

“Did you brush your teeth?” he asked as he pulled her dirty clothes from the hamper in her bedroom to throw into the basket he had going in the hallway.

Sophie sighed and stood up. While she brushed her teeth, Kurt sprayed her hair with detangler and combed her curls out.

“You’re quiet tonight, somethin’ on your mind?” he asked, using a microfiber cloth to soak as much water from her hair as possible. Sophie just shrugged as she rinsed and spit.

“My ear itches.”

“It itches?” Kurt asked squatting down to her level, she nodded. “Would it help if I did….this!” he squealed, leaning over to nibble on her ear as she squeaked with laughter.

“BA, stop!” she laughed, pushing him away.

“Go pee one more time and wash your hands,” Kurt chuckled as he pulled the bathroom door shut. He walked back to her bedroom and turned off the overhead light, leaving just her bedside lamp glowing. Once she had walked back in, he held the comforter open and she climbed up into bed. He tucked her in, then laid down next to her and started reading the books she'd picked out.

9:10 p.m.

Kurt shook himself awake.

“Shit,” he cursed quietly to himself as he attempted to straighten his neck where it had fallen back against Sophie’s headboard. Sophie was curled into his side, fast asleep.

As carefully as he could, he slipped off the bed. Sophie started to stir.

“Hey, hey baby, Shh Shh,” he cooed, cradling her head as he led her down to her pillow and covered her with her comforter. Once she had settled down he leaned down and kissed her temple.

“Goodnight, my sweet girl. I love you.”

“Love you too, Baba,” Sophie mumbled into her pillow.

Kurt switched off the lamp and pulled her bedroom door to almost closed before grabbing the basket of the kids' laundry he had left in the hallway and heading downstairs.

He turned on the news for background noise and got to work. One load of laundry, a sink-full of dishes, and a quick wipe-down of the kitchen later, Kurt poured himself a glass of red wine before settling in on the couch with his work.

12:21 p.m.

Blaine walked in the door and grinned when he saw Kurt fast asleep on the couch. He pulled off his coat and scarf and hung them as neatly as possible in the closet. He walked his bag over to his piano and wrote himself a quick note about his conversation with Larry.

The TV was playing softly as he walked back over to the couch. Kurt was fast asleep, sitting up with his computer propped on his lap, three sketchbooks and his tablet scattered on the plush leather couch next to him.

Very carefully, Blaine stacked the sketchbooks on the coffee table and closed the laptop before setting it on the coffee table as well. He pointed the remote at the TV to turn it off before turning. He sat in front of his husband, his hands resting carefully on Kurt’s knees.

Kurt stirred slightly at the movement, smiling as he woke himself up enough to open his eyes.

“Hey, stranger,” Blaine whispered as Kurt stretched and sat up.

“You’re home…what time is it?”

“Umm, about 12:30. How was the rest of your night?”

“Fine,” Kurt said, leaning forward to meet his lips against Blaine’s.

Blaine brought his hands to Kurt’s face as he deepened the kiss and let out a tiny whine from the back of his throat as Kurt broke the kiss.

“Bed?” he asked, inches from Blaine’s lips, their breath mixing together.

Blaine nodded and stood up, pulling Kurt along with him, the giggling from earlier in the day gone as they hurried up the stairs and into their bedroom. Blaine locked the door behind them as Kurt pulled him over to the bed.

“Are you sure?” Blaine asked, sitting up slightly as Kurt inched himself back on the bed. “You were asleep, we can jus…”

“Blaine,” Kurt interrupted. “Kiss me.”

1:21 a.m.

Blaine sat up in bed, drowsing slightly as he listened to Kurt in the bathroom doing an accelerated version of his nighttime skin routine. Blaine had changed the sheets and re-made the bed, before pulling on his favorite navy pajamas and collapsing against the headboard.

“How was Sophie after I left?” Blaine asked.

Kurt turned off the bathroom light and walked over to his side of the bed, pulling on one of his long sleeved Henley t-shirts over his black boxer briefs. He grabbed a pair of wool pajama pants from his drawer and pulled them on as well.

“Quiet,” Kurt replied as he took some of the lotion Blaine offered him, and rubbed it into his arms and neck before crawling into bed next to his husband. “How were _you_ after you left tonight?” Kurt asked as he snuggled into his husband’s side.

Blaine sighed as he slid down and wrapped his arms around Kurt. “It’s just,” Blaine closed his eyes and pursed his lips together. “Even before my dad moved out, I felt like all I ever heard from him was ‘Tomorrow Blainey, I promise we’ll do something tomorrow Blainey…have Coop go outside and play with you Blainey, I’m busy right now.’” Blaine paused as Kurt rubbed his hand up and down his back.

“And then, you know, he moved out, and he and mom divorced. Then I came out and our relationship was more strained than ever.” Blaine opened his eyes and looked into Kurt’s. “I promised myself, when we decided to have kids, that I would make you and our children my top priority.”

“Honey, you can’t--” Kurt started but Blaine interrupted him.

“I know,” he assured him, nodding. “I know I’m not my dad and I know that tonight I had to leave and I shouldn’t beat myself up about it…but,” he paused again as Kurt leaned his forehead against Blaine’s. “In that moment, I felt like Andrew Anderson, promising my kid that I would make it up to her later, and it felt like crap.”

“Blaine,” Kurt said as a tear leaked from Blaine’s eye. “Blaine, look at me,” he repeated softly.

Blaine opened his eyes and sniffed as quietly as he could.

“You are not your father,” Kurt asserted, moving his hand up to cup his husband’s cheek. “The difference is, you will make it up to Sophie. You will, and do, spend time with her and Liam, you do make sure that they know how important they are to you…to us.”

“ _Kurt_ ,” Blaine murmured, his throat felt as if it was closing up as he leaned in to meet his lips against Kurt’s.

“We are adults, and fathers, Blaine. We both have to work, but we also work hard, to make sure that our children know, they _know_ , Blaine, how much we love them,” he finished, rubbing his thumb back and forth over Blaine’s cheek.

Blaine nodded and looked into Kurt’s eyes for a moment. “I love you, so much,” he said finally, his voice quivering.

“And I love you,” Kurt responded, leaning in to provide Blaine with steady and sure pressure against his lips, before breaking the kiss and wrapping his arms around him.

2:43 a.m.

“Did you hear that?” Kurt asked, lifting his head from his pillow.

Blaine snuffled into his own pillow behind Kurt, moaned, and cracked open his eyes without moving. It was the middle of the night.

“What?” he asked, tightening the arm he had slung across Kurt’s waist.

“I thought I heard…” Kurt repeated as he listened harder, willing his brain to concentrate on the noise that had woken him. 

Blaine lifted his head to look over at Liam’s baby monitor, but it looked normal.

All the sudden, Kurt heard it. Soft whining and an incredibly heartbreaking “Daddy...”

“It’s Sophie,” Kurt exclaimed, standing up. Blaine was right behind him as they both hurried from their bedroom and down the hall to hers.

“Sophie, baby, what’s wrong?” Kurt asked as they both walked in and Blaine turned on her bedside lamp.

Sophie sat up in her bed, tears running down her face and fell into Kurt’s embrace.

“My ear hurts, and it burns when I swallow,” she moaned into Kurt’s shoulder.

“I’ll grab the thermometer, too,” Blaine told him after he felt her forehead and gave Kurt a look.

Kurt kissed his daughter’s head and rubbed her back. “It’s okay, baby. Daddy will get you some medicine, make you feel better,” Kurt soothed, rocking his daughter back and forth while she cried softly into his shoulder.

“Okay, sweetie,” Blaine murmured, walking back into the bedroom with the thermometer and bottle of children’s Motrin. “Sit up for me.”

Sophie sat up so Blaine could put the thermometer in her ear while Kurt measured out the appropriate dosage of Motrin.

As the thermometer beeped, Kurt gave her the dose of medicine.

“102.1,” Blaine read quietly as Sophie crawled into his lap and he kissed the top of her head. Blaine passed the thermometer over so Kurt could read the screen.

“That’s high, too high,” Kurt fretted, rubbing his hand down Sophie’s back, silently kicking himself for not catching this earlier. Ear itching should have been his first sign. “We might need to take a trip to the hospital,” Kurt decided, biting his lip. “I really don’t want to risk it until morning; we might not even be able to get an appointment with her pediatrician right away, and with all the ear problems she’s been having lately...”

Blaine nodded as Sophie curled into his chest. “They sent us to the ER last time anyway, and if it is an infection, I wanna get antibiotics in her as soon as possible,” Blaine said as Kurt nodded and rubbed Sophie’s back. “It’s already after three, if we wait for the temp to go down…” he trailed off and Kurt nodded again, knowing neither of them wanted to wait.

“I’ll take her,” Blaine announced, kissing her head again before he passed her over to Kurt. “You have that meeting tomorrow.”

“Not until the afternoon, are you sure?” Kurt asked as he stood up, moved Sophie to his hip so he could grab some clothes for her from her dresser.

“I’m sure,” Blaine said, giving Kurt a quick kiss. “You stay here with a Liam. I’ll take the car, it shouldn’t take too long.” 

“Alright, sweet pea,” Kurt cooed, sitting Sophie on her bed to pull off her pajamas and dress her in jeans and a sweatshirt. “Let's get you dressed so you stay warm, then you and Daddy are gonna go to the hospital, so they can make you feel better.”

“Aren’t you coming too?” she asked, her voice hiccupping just a bit as Kurt zipped up her hoodie and helped her into her socks and shoes.

“I have to stay here with Liam, sweetie,” Kurt reminded her, as he knelt in front of her to tie her shoes.

Sophie moaned as Kurt picked her back up and kissed her neck when she wrapped her arms around him.

“I know Soph, I know you don’t feel good,” he murmured as he carried her downstairs.

Kurt, with Sophie still on his hip, threw a bag together with a few coloring books, crayons, two books and two cups of Pedialyte…one of which he gave to her to drink then.

“Alright,” Blaine called, coming down the stairs in fitted jeans and a NYU hoodie, a sock hat covering his mess of curls and yawning. “You ready, baby?” 

Sophie nodded as she curled into Kurt’s chest, her hand secure around her cup. Blaine grabbed their coats from the closet and pulled his on, then helped Kurt with Sophie’s.

“I’ll call you when we know something,” Blaine assured him, as Kurt held the door open for them.

“Okay, I’ll see you soon sweetheart,” Kurt nodded, kissing the back of Sophie’s head.

4:41am

_Incoming Call Blaine_

“Hey.” Kurt answered sitting up from where he had fallen asleep in the chair in the living room.

“Hi,” Blaine responded, his voice sounding as tired as Kurt felt. “The doctor just left, she has a double ear infection, but no strep. The doctor said her throat probably hurts from the drainage.”

“How is she?” Kurt asked, sitting up and muting the TV.

“Crabby,” Blaine admitted and Kurt chuckled softly. “We are gonna hit the hospital pharmacy then be on our way home as soon as possible.”

“Okay, give her a kiss for me, and I’ll see you both soon.”

“I will, see you, love you.”

“Love you, too.”

8:30 a.m.

“That’s right, buddy! That’s an A. Good job!” Kurt praised his son.

The two were sitting on the floor of the living room. Sesame Street was playing softly on the TV, but nobody was really paying attention. Liam was putting lettered blocks onto his letter train, and try as he might to stay interested; Kurt kept spacing out and leaning his head against the seat of the couch.

Liam had woken up about twenty minutes after Blaine had left with Sophie for the hospital. It had taken Kurt almost half an hour to get him back to sleep, and then he was back up at seven that morning.

Kurt had fed Liam his cereal and yogurt, called Sophie’s school, and drowned almost three cups of coffee already. Luckily it was Friday, so he wasn’t planning on going into the office. He did have a meeting at his studio, but that wasn’t until early afternoon. He had planned on going early to get some of his own work done, but decided it just wasn't going to happen that day. 

“Is it too early for a nap, buddy?" Kurt asked his son as his phone lit up with a call from his dad. Liam looked up and smiled as he pointed to the singing phone.

“Hey bud, I was just gonna leave you a message about your holiday plans. What’s up?”

“Oh, Blaine was at the hospital with Soph until about six this morning. She spiked a temp and was complaining about ear pain so we didn’t want to risk anything,” he explained as Liam crawled over and into his lap, demanding some attention from him.

“I thought she had tubes in her ears?” Burt asked.

“She did when she was about two, but they must have long fallen out by now…Blaine said the ER doctor wanted an ENT consult so I have a feeling they are going to put them back in. This is her third ear infection this year.”

“Do they usually put tubes in kids as old as she is? I feel like five is really old to still be having all these issues.”

“It’s not as common, but, yeah…it’s not unheard of,” Kurt answered as Liam pulled on his lip and laughed to himself. "And once the problem becomes chronic...age isn't really a factor anymore."

“Poor baby,” Burt sighed. “Is she still asleep?”

“They both are, actually.” Kurt replied, yawning. “I was just trying to convince Liam to take a nap as well.”

“Well, give them both a kiss for me, and tell Sophie I hope she feels better.”

“I will Dad, thanks,” Kurt smiled as he took the bear Liam had handed him. Liam clapped his hands.

“Do you know what your holiday plans are?” Burt asked.

“I honestly don’t. I know Blaine and I had talked about maybe doing Thanksgiving here, but right now I’m so tired, I can’t think much past the nap I need before my meeting this afternoon.”

Burt laughed and said he understood.

After Kurt ended the call, he heard the soft patter of feet on the stairs. He turned his head just in time to see Sophie round the corner of the couch.

“Hey, sweet pea,” he sighed as she crawled into his lap. “What are you doing up?”

Sophie shrugged and nuzzled deeper into his neck. “My ears hurt,” she mumbled.

“I know, monster, I’m sorry,” Kurt said, running his hand up and down her back. “Your medicine will start working soon and they won't hurt anymore,” he finished, kissing the top of her head and rocking slightly.

Liam looked over at his sister, smiled, clapped his hands and chortled as a big blob of drool fell from his mouth. Kurt shook his head and laughed in spite of himself.

“Sophie, are you hungry?” he asked, kissing the top of her head again as he continued to run his hand up and down her back. “I think we have some pancakes in the freezer, want me to make you some eggs and pancakes?”

“And juice?” she mumbled into his shoulder and he chuckled.

“Yes, and juice.”

Sophie nodded. 

She climbed up on the couch as Kurt stood up, He covered her with a blanket from the trunk on the floor and walked into the kitchen. He poured himself another cup of coffee as he microwaved some of the frozen pancakes he had leftover from brunch the previous Sunday and scrambled a few eggs. He cut up an avocado for Liam as well. He knew the baby would want to eat something while his sister did, and the kid was nuts about avocado. 

Blaine came downstairs just as Kurt had gotten Liam settled in his highchair with a bib and his avocado, and given Sophie her antibiotic. 

“Hey, you should have woken me up,” he insisted, leaning down to kiss Sophie, then Liam. 

“Nah, you needed the rest,” Kurt said, pouring his husband a cup of coffee and handing it to him. “Are you hungry? We were just about to eat some pancakes and avocado, doesn't that sound yummy?” 

Blaine laughed but nodded his head as Kurt handed him a plate and sat down between his son and daughter

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading!!


	10. Chapter 10

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Life is made up of seasons. Some seasons are filled with joy, while others try us in ways we never thought possible. This is the story of Kurt and Blaine, with their amazing friend Mel, making the decision to expand their family, dealing with loss, and learning how to heal together.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A last minute play-date cancellation and Sophie gets a tour of her Papa’s office. A benefit for dads and a sitter for Liam. An afternoon of errands and putting their babies to bed after a normal weekend in the Anderson-Hummel household. 
> 
> Because chapter 11 is on the short side and is really more of an extended epilogue type of update, it should be up tomorrow or Friday, and then that’s it for Part 2!

A weekend in March... 

Saturday 11 a.m.

“Shit,” Kurt murmured, setting his phone down on the counter. He looked over at his daughter happily playing games on her tablet underneath the table. He sighed, quickly formulating a plan in his head. 

“Hey Soph, can you come out here please,” he called, grabbing her backpack from the counter. 

“The alarm didn't go off yet,” she informed him, shimmying from underneath the table and handing him the tablet. “Do I have to be done already?” 

“Yeah, monster,” Kurt told her, taking the tablet and setting it on the counter before stuffing a yogurt, two granola bars, and a bag of carrot sticks into an insulated lunch bag.“That was your friend Molly’s mom on the phone, Molly isn't feeling well and they had to cancel your play-date.” 

“Aw man,” Sophie pouted, climbing up onto a bar stool and putting her chin in her hands.

“I know, I’m sorry,” Kurt told her, screwing the top on her cup of juice and sticking it in the lunch bag as well.

“Daddy and Liam won’t be back for a few hours, and I have a meeting. How about instead, you come with me to the office?” 

Sophie perked up. “Really?” she asked, hopping down from the stool and clapping her hands. 

Kurt smiled as he nodded. “But only if you can promise to be really good and quiet during the meeting.” 

Hopping from one foot to the other, Sophie nodded as seriously as she could before stopping dead in her tracks, looking down at her jeans and [sweater](https://www.pinterest.com/pin/324399979382849962/), then looking back up at her dad. 

“I have to change,” she decided, turning on her heel. 

Kurt laughed and started to call after her that she didn't need to change, but then thought better of it. This was his daughter after all. 

He grabbed some art supplies, two books, and threw her tablet in her backpack with the insulated lunch bag. He texted Blaine the change of plans, then loaded his bag with the sketches he'd been working on, as well as the fabric swatches. He was tightening up his tie when [Sophie](http://media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/31/46/b8/3146b8675d54318ac27323bc9d85b3ee.jpg) came running down the stairs, her brown curls flying behind her. 

Kurt covered his mouth with his hand to suppress a giggle. He turned around to grab her black pea coat from the closet and held it out for her to slip on. He arranged her hair back into her barret before pulling on his own coat and handing over her bag. 

“If you’re super good, we can have lunch after my meeting,” he told her as they walked down the hall, hand in hand, toward the elevator. 

“Really?” she asked. “Just the two of us?”

Kurt smiled down at her and squeezed her hand. “Just the two of us,” he nodded.

They walked to the end of the block before stopping to hail a cab. Kurt made sure Sophie was buckled in tight before picking up his phone and calling the office to make sure everyone was assembled for him when he got there. He looked over at his daughter, whose hands were clasped tightly in her lap as she watched out the window with just her feet bouncing in rhythm to the music the cab driver had playing. 

Twenty minutes later Kurt was leading Sophie down the hall to his office. His assistant Malerie stood when she saw him coming. 

“Hi,” she greeted them, holding out her hand for his coat. 

“Hi, thanks for coming in on a Saturday,” he said, helping Sophie out of her coat and handing it to Malerie as well. “Sophie, you remember Malerie?”

She smiled down at Soph and gave her a small wave. Sophie nodded and waved back. 

“Yep, hi Malerie." 

Malerie looked at Kurt with question in her eyes. 

“Her play-date was canceled,” Kurt explained, setting his bag on the desk. “The nanny asked for the weekend off, and Mel is out of town until tonight. I figured I could call the three babysitters, one of which we already have coming over tonight for the benefit dinner, still not have a sitter and be late for the meeting, or I could bring her along and hope this doesn't go much past an hour or so.”

Malerie nodded with a smile as Kurt led Sophie into his office. 

“Alright, buddy,” he started, leading Sophie over to his desk. 

“This is your office, Papa?” Sophie asked, climbing up into his chair and looking around in wonder.

“Yep.” 

“Hey, that’s me!” she cried, pointing to the frame on his desk. 

“Of course that’s you,” he laughed, kissing the top of her head. “How am I supposed to get through my day without seeing your gorgeous face?”

“You’re so silly, Papa,” Sophie giggled. 

“Okay monster, I forgot my iPod at home, but I have Wicked, Mary Poppins, and Camelot here, what would you like to listen to?” Kurt asked, walking over to the dock on his shelf. 

“Mary Poppins, please,” Sophie answered, pulling her colored pencils over to her and flipping open a sketchbook. 

Kurt turned the music on, then walked over to his table to grab the sketches he'd left there. He kissed the top of her head again. “Malerie will be just outside the door if you need anything, and if you get hungry she will give you a snack to hold you over til' lunch.” 

“K.”

“And you also have a few books and some trucks in your bag as well, okay?” 

Sophie nodded and Kurt blew her a kiss before he pulled the door to his office to almost closed and smiled at Malerie. He pulled his bag open and grabbed the rest of the samples and sketches he would need. 

“She should be fine in there, but there are some carrot sticks and yogurt in her bag in case she gets hungry.”

Okay,” she answered, hanging up her phone. “Everything is set up and ready for you in the conference room when you’re ready,” she said, taking the bag from him. 

“Right. If she gets too antsy, or if this runs way longer than I’m anticipating, her tablet is in here too, but only use it as a last resort. We try to limit her time on it to 30 minutes, and she’s already been on it earlier this morning. She knows that so she won’t ask for it, just tell her I said it was okay.”

Malerie nodded while also handing him the clipboard he was looking for. 

Kurt sighed and closed his eyes. “Am I a total ass for asking you to do this? I know it’s not really in your job description,” Kurt asked. Malerie just laughed. 

“Don’t sweat it. Make me something new to wear for my date or let me go shopping in the closet and we’ll call it even.” 

“Deal,” Kurt agreed, hurrying down the hall. 

1:30 p.m.

“Hey, how’d it go?” Kurt asked, walking up to Malerie’s desk. 

“Fine,” she answered with a shrug. “She came out once to ask if she had a cup, which I gave her, then about twenty minutes later she came out and asked if I would switch the music. Your office didn't look any worse for wear when I went in, a few trucks strewn about...” 

Kurt laughed and nodded. “Yeah, her current obsession is those little remote control trucks, she races them,” he laughed, running his hands through his hair. “Okay, could you transcribe my notes and email them to me, and then I made a list of the fabrics we chose and how much, could you put an order in for everything?” 

“Yeah, of course,” Malerie agreed, taking both folders and the iPad from Kurt. 

“If you could get the order in now, that would be great. The notes you can wait til' Monday since I know you need to get home to get ready for tonight too.”

“Oh, will you be here on Monday?” Malerie asked, picking up her own iPad to change the schedule she kept. 

“Yeah, for the morning at least,” Kurt nodded, making a note to tell Grace as well that he would need to go to the office on Monday, as he usually stayed home.

Kurt walked in his office and had to smile. Sophie was laying on the floor, kicking her feet softly against his couch while she flipped through one of her books. There were a few trucks on the floor and she had taken off her cardigan and ballet flats and laid them over his chair. She looked up and smiled when he walked in. 

“Was I good?” she asked him, sitting up. 

“You were...wonderful, stupendous, exemplary!” he cried, picking her up and tickling her tummy. She giggled as he kissed her cheek and set her back on her feet. “Pick up your toys baby, and put your shoes and cardigan back on, I’m starving!” 

“YAY!” she called, grabbing her bag from the floor. “Ladies who lunch!” 

Kurt smiled as he pulled his buzzing phone from his pocket and read a text from Blaine saying they just got home, Liam was down for a nap and Blaine had picked up their tuxes from the dry cleaner. 

Just as he was typing a reply saying thank you and asking if he wanted Kurt to bring him home some lunch, Malerie came back in the office. 

“Kurt, the chartreuse you wrote down, they don’t have the gray hue you want. They have a puce that is almost exactly the same, but not enough for the amount you wanted.”

Kurt looked up and groaned. “No, that can’t be right. I checked this week to make sure everything was in and well stocked.” He rubbed his eyes in frustration. 

Malerie shrugged with a frown. “They must have just pulled it, I can call our other supplier, but not until Monday, they close at noon on Saturdays.” 

“Shii-ooot,” Kurt moaned, catching his word just in time and sinking down to his chair, looking over at his daughter who was pulling her shoes on. 

“We decided on that color...” he trailed off, watching her stand up to pull her cardigan on. Should he have Malerie call everyone back and decide on a new color, or risk it until Monday and see what else they could get instead. Sophie looked over and smiled at him as she zipped up her backpack. 

“No,” he decided, standing up. “Put in the order for everything else, and if worse comes to worst, I have a second supplier in Seattle. It’s a little pricier, but I’ll play around with the numbers to see if I can make it work.” 

Malerie nodded and pulled the door shut. Kurt finished his text message then loaded up his bag, looked around his office to make sure Sophie didn't forget anything, and turned off the music dock.

“Ready baby?” he asked, turning off the lights and reaching for her hand. 

“Yep.” 

Malerie handed over both of their coats and helped Sophie into hers while Kurt pulled on his. “It was nice seeing you again, Miss Sophia. Have a fun rest of your day,” Malerie told her with a smile. 

“Thank you,” Sophie smiled, pulling her backpack on. 

“Thanks again, Malerie,” Kurt said. “I’ll see you tonight.” 

She waved as Kurt led Sophie down the hall and toward the elevator. "So Miss Sophia, where are we going to lunch today?" 

"Ummmm," she screwed up her face for a moment before breaking into a smile and jumping up and down a few times. "The Cafeteria?" 

Kurt squeezed her hand and smiled. "Ooo, that sounds delectable!" 

Sophie talked nonstop as they walked to the train stop, holding tight to Kurt’s hand as she skipped along. 

4:05 p.m.

“Hey, I thought I heard you coming in,” Blaine called, walking downstairs just as Kurt pushed open the door, Sophie fast asleep in his arms. 

“Hey,” Kurt huffed out a smile as he adjusted Sophie. Blaine leaned in for a kiss. 

“She was a trooper until the very end,” Kurt whispered as Blaine carefully took Sophie’s bag and coat off. “She was basically falling asleep in her brownie." 

Blaine chuckled as he laid Sophie carefully on the couch and covered her with a blanket. 

“Let her snooze here for a little while,” Blaine decided as Kurt went into the kitchen to make some tea. “I can’t imagine she’ll get much rest tonight anyway.”

Kurt nodded and rolled his neck, wishing he had time for nap as well. The spot next to Sophie looked mighty comfy. Instead he smiled at his husband and leaned in for another kiss when Blaine came into the kitchen and pulled two mugs down from the cabinet. 

“How was music class?” Kurt asked a few minutes later, pulling the kettle before it made too much noise. 

“It was good, it took him a few minutes to warm up, but he was having fun by the end of it.” They walked over to the table and sat down. “We stopped by the bodega down the street after picking up the dry cleaning and got the last few things for brunch tomorrow before we do the major shopping tomorrow afternoon.”

“Oh good.” Kurt smiled, hooking his ankle behind Blaine’s under the table. ”I was afraid I would have to get up early and go, thank you.” 

Blaine grinned and shook his head, before sighing and taking a sip of his tea. 

“I was thinking, if it’s nice tomorrow again we can take the kids to the park before we run our Sunday errands,” Kurt said. “Mel will probably go with us if we can get Sophie to do the puppy eyed thing for her.”

Blaine laughed and nodded. “Sounds good to me.” 

“So, what time does Sophie need to be at her party?” Blaine asked after a few moments of comfortable silence had passed. 

Kurt stood up and glanced at the invitation that was hanging on the refrigerator. “Six,” he read before opening the door and pulling out a plate of cut lemon and the tub of honey from the cabinet. “But the car isn't coming to get us until eight, so I can take her before I get in the shower. It’s just a few blocks away.” 

Blaine nodded as he squeezed a wedge of lemon into his tea. “Oh, how was your meeting?” he asked. Kurt smiled and nodded as he dropped some honey into his mug. 

“It was...productive,” Kurt trailed off, setting his ankle behind Blaine’s again. 

“That good, huh?” 

Kurt laughed and Blaine nudged his ankle back a little, urging Kurt to go on. 

“No, it was fine,” Kurt paused to take a sip from his mug. “We were productive...I don’t know, the layout is just feeling a little...morose and I can’t figure out how to fix it, or even if I really want to fix it.” 

“What do you mean you don’t want to fix it, why wouldn't you want to fix it?” Blaine asked, sitting up and putting his hand on Kurt’s crossed knee. 

Kurt shrugged and put his chin on the hand he had resting on the table. “I don't know...It’s not that I don’t care, it's that I don’t care enough. I don’t care like I used to.” 

Blaine furrowed his brow.

“I don’t care like I should care.” Kurt leaned back and closed his eyes. “And it’s not even a full line anyway.”

“Well, honey...it can be--”

“No,” Kurt exclaimed, opening his eyes and sitting up. “This is your year. We already decided this.”

Blaine sighed out a laugh.

“No, Blaine I mean it,” Kurt reiterated, even more firmly. “You are starring in a show that you wrote! How amazing is that?” Kurt announced proudly, threading their fingers together and squeezing. “I am so unbelievably proud of you, and I wanna be by your side for every second of it.”

“And you will be,” Blaine assured him. “But that doesn't mean you have to give up on what you want, I would never ask that of you.”

“That's just it though, I don't think I want it...at least not right now.” Kurt paused, taking a sip of his tea before uncrossing his legs and pulling Blaine’s hand into both of his. “What I want, is to take my daughter out to lunch more often. It makes her so happy and it’s such an easy thing to do, make her smile like that. I want to be there for your opening night, and the cast parties, and benefit concerts, and award shows, without trying to work everything into my schedule.”

“Award shows, huh?” Blaine asked, his voice only slightly wobbly. 

“You bet your ass, all of 'em.” Kurt laughed, before dropping his tone playfully. “How are my Hummel original suits ever gonna sell without you to model them for me, for free?” 

Blaine dropped his head in bashful laughter. 

“I’m not saying, quit...I’m saying cut back, even more than I already was. I don't wanna move to the suburbs and become a househusband...not that there’s anything wrong with that,” Kurt assured to a laughing Blaine. 

“Of course not,” Blaine agreed, leaning forward just a touch and threading their fingers together. 

“I’m saying I wanna design instead of produce. I want to stay awake at night because of idea’s in my head, instead of worry about what may or may not sell. I wanna focus on my brand instead of worrying if we have enough marketable pieces to make the not marketable pieces thrive.” Kurt leaned forward into Blaine’s space. “I wanna work from home and spend time with our son. Plan meals and cook with Sophie. Have afternoon sex with you. Actually sit in on the meetings for Rage, instead of having them relayed back to me after the fact.” 

Blaine nodded again and pulled on the back of Kurt’s neck to bring their lips together. 

“This is your year, Blaine,” Kurt whispered against his husband's lips. “Let me be the one to support you and your dreams.”

“I love you, so much.” Blaine murmured, their foreheads resting against each other. “I just want you to be sure. I don’t want you to wake up in a year and resent me.”

“I’m sure this is what I want, I would be a pretty shitty person if I resented you for something I wanted,” Kurt assured him. “I love you, too...and that’s why I want to do this, not just for you, not just for me, but for us. For our family.” 

Blaine threaded his fingers in the short hair on the back of his husband's neck and nodded against his forehead, and Kurt rubbed his hands up and down Blaine’s back. They sat there for a few minutes, just holding each other. 

"Umm, dads?” Sophie interrupted, breaking the silence of the room. The guys broke apart, wiping their eyes and looking over at Sophie who was standing by the couch watching them warily. “Is everything okay? Why are you crying?” 

Kurt and Blaine started laughing and motioned for her to come to them. 

“Everything’s fine, buddy,” Kurt promised as Sophie climbed up into Blaine’s lap. “Dad and I are just talking about boring dad stuff.” 

Sophie rolled her eyes in the patented Kurt Hummel way, and nuzzled closer into Blaine’s neck. Kurt smiled as he took a sip from his almost completely cooled cup of tea. 

“Come on munchkin,” Kurt stood up and motioned for Sophie to follow him. “I hear your brother and we need to get you packed for your sleepover tonight.” 

“Hey, yeah!” Blaine exclaimed as he took Sophie’s hand and they followed Kurt up the stairs. “Your first sleepover, are you excited?” 

5:35 p.m.

“Soph, grab a scarf too,” Kurt called up the stairs to his daughter as he carried Liam into the living room and set him on the floor. 

“K!” he heard Sophie call back. 

“Here sweetie,” Kurt said to Liam, pulling the basket of toys over to him and kissing the top of his [hat](https://www.pinterest.com/pin/324399979381083978/) covered head. He made sure the latch on the gate to the stairs was secure, before walking over to the closet to grab his and Sophie’s coats. 

“She’s on her way down,” Blaine announced, coming down the stairs. “Are you sure you don't want me to take her?” 

“No, that's okay, I can do it.” Kurt assured him. “Thanks, though.” 

“Okay,” Blaine answered with a smile. “I guess I’ll get Liam fed so it’s one less thing the sitter has to do.”

Kurt nodded and followed Blaine into the kitchen. “I need to make him some more food tomorrow, but I know he has some peas in here.” Kurt opened the fridge. “And there is some leftover bowtie pasta, you know how much he loves those.” 

“I’ll cut up an avocado as well,” Blaine decided as Sophie came bounding down the stairs. “Ooo and we have some pesto too, I’ll throw that with the pasta,” he finished. 

“Sounds great,” Kurt agreed, pulling on his coat and helping Sophie into hers as well. “After I drop her off, I’m gonna stop at Joe Coffee on the way back. Want a empty calorie filled, full of caffeine to keep us up all night, cup of heaven?” Kurt asked as he laughed and helped Sophie with her scarf. 

“Yes, please,” Blaine answered leaning down. “Come here stinker, and give me a kiss goodnight.”

"Bye Daddy,” Sophie sang, letting her dad pull her into a hug. 

“Have fun,” Blaine told her, kissing her temple. “Use your manners and be respectful.” 

“I will,” Sophie promised before pulling away from her dad and skipping over to the door. 

Kurt laughed and shook his head. “I’ll be back in a few.” 

7:41 p.m.

“He was a total disaster after dinner, so Blaine went ahead and gave him a bath already and put him in his PJ’s,” Kurt told their sitter Cara, balancing Liam on his hip. “You guys can just play down here until bedtime, read some books.” 

“Sure,” Cara answered, rubbing her hand on Liam’s back. He was smiling at Cara, but clutching the blanket Kurt had draped over his suit to protect his clean and pressed suit from Liam's baby hands. 

“At around 8:30, we give him about a cup of yogurt, then you can take him upstairs and give him his bottle. He’s usually down for the count by 9, sometimes 9:30 if he’s feeling especially stubborn.” 

“Everything you need to make his bottle is pre-measured and ready for you in the fridge,” Blaine interrupted, coming down the stairs with their coats and scarves. “We usually nuke a cup of water for 30 seconds and then let the bottle warm up in there until it's nice and warm.”

“He'll want to be held while he drinks his bottle and his rotating lamp has to be on or else he won't settle,” Kurt broke in. “And we usually sing to him a little before we lay him down.” 

Cara smiled and nodded. “Anything in particular?” she asked. 

“Nah,” Kurt grinned, kissing Liam’s temple. “He’s not picky.” 

“After he’s out, there is cash on the refrigerator if you wanna order pizza, or there’s a great Thai place a few blocks down. There isn't much, but help yourself to anything in the fridge or pantry.” Blaine told her, taking Liam from Kurt so he could put on his coat and scarf. “And we have, like, a million movie channels.” 

“Plus pretty much all things reality TV related is recorded on our DVR.” Kurt added, kissing the back of Liam’s head.

“Just don’t delete anything, or else you will incur the wrath of Kurt,” Blaine warned her with an over exaggerated wink, handing a reluctant but compliant Liam over to Cara.

Kurt rolled his eyes at his husband and shook his head at Cara. “After the benefit we may go out for a drink with our friends Rachel and Sam, she'll be done with her show by then. If we do, we may not be home until around 1 or so,” Kurt told her as Blaine grabbed his keys and cell from the counter and opened the door. 

“But we’ll text you if we decide to go, or if we’ll be any later,” Blaine assured her, leading Kurt out the door. Liam was handling this surprisingly well, and he didn't want to push their luck. 

“No problem, you guys have fun. We’ll be just fine,” Cara promised them, bouncing Liam on her hip a little. 

“Bye baby, we love you,” Kurt called, waving to his son. 

Blaine waved to Cara as he all but pushed Kurt out the door. 

“Call or text us if you need anything,” Blaine called, blowing a kiss to Liam and pulling the door shut behind them. 

“Oh no you don't,” Blaine threatened, pulling Kurt along when it looked like he was going to wait at the door. “He will be fine and we are late, Cara has sat for him dozens of times.”

Kurt rolled his eyes but let his husband lead him toward the elevator. 

10:03 p.m.

“I’m sorry to interrupt,” Blaine said, walking up to Kurt and the woman he was talking to. “Kurt, can I talk to you for a minute?” 

Kurt looked at Blaine in surprise, and excused himself. 

“What’s up?” he asked as they walked toward the coat check. 

“That was Lexy, Stella’s mom. She said Sophie’s been crying and wants us to come and get her.”

“Oh no,” Kurt sighed as the two immediately started to make their way through the throngs of people. “Is she sick?” 

“I asked and Lexy said no, just upset. They were getting ready to settle down and Soph kinda freaked out. I told her one of us would be on our way to pick her up.” They got stopped in front of a crowd of people and Blaine put his hand on Kurt’s arm.

“You don’t have to leave though, I can go get her and take her home.” 

Kurt shook his head vehemently as they made it to the coat check and handed over their ticket stubs. “No, of course not. I’ll text Rachel that we can’t make it, things are getting ready to wrap up here anyway,” he nodded as the valet handed over their coats. “Why don’t you go get a cab, I’m just gonna say goodbye to Isabelle and see if I can catch Malerie to say goodbye.”

“Okay, give them both my love as well,” Blaine told him, heading out the door. 

It only took Kurt a few minutes to find Isabelle, they made plans for a meeting on Tuesday to talk about Rage, before a quick kiss goodbye. He couldn't find Malerie, but had seen her flirting with an intern after dinner. Kurt smiled with hope for a hook-up for his friend as he sent her a text message that he would see her on Monday morning. 

Kurt pulled on his coat and wrapped his scarf around his neck as he walked out the door. Blaine was waiting at the curb with a cab. 

“Hey baby, goin' my way?” Blaine asked, pretending to twirl his imaginary pocket watch and smacking his imaginary gum in his best 20’s zootsuit impression. Kurt laughed as he climbed in the cab. 

“How did I fall in love with such a nerd?” Kurt asked, trying to hide his smile. 

“Yeah, but I’m your nerd,” Blaine said, nuzzling into Kurt’s neck, making him laugh again. 

“Yeah, you’re my nerd,” Kurt assured him as the cab pulled away from the curb and took off down the road. 

After a few minutes, Kurt pulled out his phone to text Rachel the change in plans. 

“How’d Rach take it?” Blaine asked. 

Kurt was shaking his head, getting ready to say that she hadn't answered when his phone started ringing. He gave his husband a look before bring the phone to his ear. 

“Hi Rachel,” Kurt answered. 

Blaine looked over at him with a sympathetic grin as Kurt tried to explain to his best friend what had happened and why they couldn't go out for that drink now.

Kurt was still on the phone with her when they pulled up in front of Lexy and Stella’s apartment building. Blaine leaned over and kissed Kurt’s cheek before opening the door to the cab. 

“I’ll go in and get her, you stay out here and wait with the cab,” Blaine said. Kurt nodded his consent and rolled his eyes at his phone, then laughed at something Rachel said, calling her ridiculous in the way only Kurt ever could. 

After another five minutes or so, Kurt finally hung up with Rachel. He checked his phone again and saw Malerie had texted while he was talking to Rachel, saying it was a no go with the intern, that she was home now and would see Kurt on Monday. Kurt was texting his reply when he looked up and saw Blaine walking out of the building, carrying Sophie against his chest, her legs dangling around his hips. 

Kurt had to laugh at the pair of them as he climbed out of the cab. Sophie was still in her black and white striped pajamas, her gray boots on her feet and wrapped in her red coat with her backpack on. Blaine had his arms securely around her as he walked towards the car. 

“Hey there, sleepyhead,” Kurt cooed softly to Sophie, kissing her cheek. 

“Hi Papa,” Sophie mumbled, opening her eyes and lifting her head from where it was laying against Blaine’s shoulder. 

“You ready to go home, baby?” Kurt asked, pushing her hair out of her face and rubbing her back a little.

Sophie nodded before laying her head against Blaine’s shoulder again and yawning. Blaine huffed out a laugh and smiled at his husband. 

Kurt climbed into the back of the car, Blaine pulled Sophie off of him and set her in the car next to him. Kurt buckled her into the seat as Blaine climbed in behind her and pulled the door shut. He gave the driver their address and the car took off. Sophie nuzzled into Kurt’s side as he played with her hair. 

Their building was only a few blocks away, but Sophie had fallen asleep by the time they made it there. 

Blaine paid the cab driver as Kurt pulled Sophie into his arms. Once upstairs, Blaine unlocked and opened the door for Kurt to walk through. Cara turned off the TV and stood up smiling at them when the trio walked through the door. 

“How was he?” Blaine asked as he shut the door and turned to help Kurt take off Sophie’s coat.

“Great,” Cara assured them, walking around the couch. “We read a few books, played with his letter train, ate some yogurt...he was out like a light by nine thirty.” 

Kurt laughed and nodded. “Sounds about right.”

“I’m gonna take her upstairs, get her to bed.” Blaine held out his hands. Kurt nodded and passed Sophie over to him.

“Night, sweetheart. Sleep well,” Kurt whispered, kissing Sophie’s forehead. 

“Night, Papa,” Sophie mumbled into Blaine’s neck.

“Thank you, so much, Cara,” Kurt told her, pulling out his wallet and grabbing some cash. 

“No problem,” she assured him. “Thank you.”

Kurt closed the door after her and locked it. He took off his coat and hung it in the closet before going upstairs. Both of the kids' doors were closed so he headed towards the master bedroom to get changed. 

Blaine was coming out of their bathroom in just his briefs and button up, holding his pants, jacket, and vest. “I know we should probably go to bed, but I’m not even a little bit tired,” he decided, grabbing a hanger from the closet. 

“Me either,” Kurt agreed. He pulled off his tie and grabbed comfy clothes from the dresser for both of them. “And I’m starving. Cara said there is some leftover pizza in the fridge, I’m probably gonna go demolish that and watch trashy TV...if you’d like to join me.” 

“I think I could be persuaded,” Blaine replied, crawling across the bed to sit behind Kurt and kiss his neck. 

Kurt chuckled and turned his head to meet his lips against Blaine’s. “I thought you might,” he laughed, pulling on his soft gray pants and matching blue henley. “Come on husband, we’ll break into the kids' M&M’s and make some popcorn to go with our pizza.” 

“Yay!” Blaine cried, pulling his NYU hoodie on over his PJ’s before following Kurt out the door. “The _real_ reason we had kids, excuse to eat kid food our whole life!” 

8:29 a.m.

Kurt fell back against the mattress, naked, sweaty, and breathing heavily. Blaine propped himself up on his elbow and smiled down at him. 

“Not a bad way to wake up, huh?” 

Kurt huffed out a laugh and pulled on the back of Blaine’s neck to bring him back down and meet their lips together for a kiss. 

For a few moments, they were content to lay together, share their space while they exchanged kisses and nuzzles, both coming down from their early morning orgasms. Finally the noises coming from the baby monitor next to their bed couldn't be ignored anymore. 

Liam had been making noise for about a half hour, not asleep anymore, but not really awake yet either. It wasn't until a very loud “DA!” made them both look over and laugh, that Kurt sat up and sighed. 

“Why doesn't anyone explain to Liam that Sunday is a day for sleeping in?” he asked, standing up to pull his pants and shirt back on. 

Blaine laughed as he stretched and sat up as well. “Because unlike us, he went to bed at a normal hour last night.” 

“Yeah, yeah,” Kurt mocked, throwing his husband his clothes. “I’ll get the baby, you make the coffee,” he finished, heading to the bathroom for a quick pit stop and to clean up. Blaine was up and dressed by the time he walked back through their bedroom.

“Good Morning!” Kurt sang as he walked into Liam’s bedroom. Liam turned from where he was sitting in his crib, and broke into a big grin. 

Kurt laughed as he patted Liam down to make sure he wasn't wet, and picked him up. 

“Such a happy baby this morning,” he sang, kissing Liam's face and tickling his tummy. The baby giggled and patted his hands on his papa's cheeks. 

“You are such a little lovebug!” Kurt laughed, laying him on the changing table to change his diaper. Liam sighed out a laugh and kicked his legs after Kurt pulled his striped pajama pants off. After a few moments, Sophie walked through Liam’s door. 

Kurt looked over and smiled as Sophie walked over to him and leaned against his hip. “Good morning, sweetie,” Kurt said, pulling her against him in a hug. 

“Eeeee!” Liam cried, pointing to his sister.

“Morning Papa, hi Liam.” 

“How’d you sleep?” Kurt asked, standing Liam to pull his pants up. 

“Good, can I go downstairs and watch a movie?” 

“Yep, Daddy’s already down there. We'll be down in a minute.” 

“K!” 

Kurt chuckled as Sophie skipped out of the room and downstairs. 

Kurt took Liam in his arms and carried him back to their bedroom to grab his phone from the charger and a cardigan. 

“Mulan huh?” Kurt asked Sophie as he came down the stairs with Liam on his hip.

Sophie was sprawled out on the couch, using her green bear as a pillow as she stared at the TV. “Yep.” she answered, yawning. 

“Hey there, buddy!” Blaine called walking over and taking Liam from Kurt and kissing his cheek. 

“Pancakes or waffles?” Kurt asked, accepting the cup of coffee Blaine handed him with a quiet thank you. “Mel should be here in a few, I said between nine and nine thirty.” 

Blaine put Liam in his high chair, then went over to the fridge for the yogurt. 

“Whichever is easier, Kurt. We have some raspberries for a reduction if you wanted to do waffles. I can scramble some eggs and bake some bacon as well.” 

“I guess that should be enough,” Kurt decided, pulling down the waffle iron and the dry ingredients. ”Luke's in Dallas this week, so it’s just Mel today.” 

“Soph, can you wait a bit to eat or do you want some cereal now?” he called as Blaine started cutting fruit for Liam. 

“I can wait,” Sophie answered, looking up and smiling. 

Blaine put a bowl of dry cereal and some cut fruit on Liam’s tray, then started scrambling eggs. Kurt had just finished his first batch of waffles while stirring the raspberry reduction when Mel walked in. 

“Morning everybody!” she called, closing the door behind her. 

“AUNT MEL!” Sophie yelled, catapulting herself over the back of the couch, her brown curls flying as she jumped into Mel’s outstretched arms. 

“Hey, there’s my girl!” Mel laughed, kissing Sophie’s cheek. “I didn't think you’d be here, didn't you have a sleepover last night?” 

“Yeah, dads came to get me last night,” Sophie answered, shrugging. 

Kurt gave Mel a look as he leaned over to kiss her hello and nodded his head.

“Too much fun?” Mel asked, looking at Sophie.

Sophie shrugged again. “I just wanted to sleep in my own bed.” 

“Well, I can’t blame you for that,” Mel answered, letting Sophie slip down. “I’ve missed my bed dearly.” 

“How was your week?” Blaine asked, putting a platter of eggs on the table before turning around to give his friend a hug and kiss hello as well. “Any good stories?” 

“You know me,” Mel answered, giving Blaine a wink. Kurt and Blaine laughed as Mel stooped to say hello to Liam. “Although, it looks like Kurt may be the one with the juicy stories,” Mel pointed out, giving Liam a kiss and petting his hair. 

Kurt looked up in confusion and Blaine snorted into his coffee. Mel motioned to Kurt’s neck and he rolled his eyes. “What did you do?”

“What’s wrong with your neck, Ba?” Sophie asked, walking around the couch and into the kitchen. Mel started laughing as she sat down and pulled Sophie into her lap.

“Nothing sweetie, your dad just thinks we’re still sixteen years old,” Kurt answered her, using the toaster to look at his neck as Blaine wrapped his arms around Kurt’s middle and kissed the back of his shoulder. 

“Hey, you’re the one with the massive scarf collection--I’m just doing my part to help you wear more of them,” he joked, giving Kurt his best heart eyes. 

Kurt lost his battle with laughter, pushing his husband away. “Come on, let's eat.” 

10:45 a.m.

“Sure you don’t wanna come to the park with us?” Kurt asked as he and Mel cleaned up the kitchen. Blaine had taken the kids upstairs to get dressed.

“I do want to, but I have about a million e-mails I need to get to, plus all the errands from being gone all week,” Mel frowned sadly as she finished loading the dishwasher and turned it on. 

Kurt nodded as he continued wiping the table and set Liam’s high chair back in the corner. “I understand, but if you feel like it later, come back over for dinner.” 

“I’ll keep that in mind,” Mel assured him, grabbing her coat from the closet just as Sophie came bounding down the stairs in [black leggings](https://www.pinterest.com/pin/324399979381074518/), a blue striped shirt and her leather boots. Blaine had brushed through her curls and pulled them into a bun on top of her head. 

“Come give me a hug Sophia Elizabeth, I gotta go,” Mel called. Sophie flew into her arms. “Give your brother one for me, too.”

“I’ll call you later in the week,” Kurt said, closing the door behind her as she waved and headed toward the elevator. 

“Papa, can I finish my movie while you guys get ready?” 

“Yeah, I suppose so,” he answered her, walking back upstairs. “Whoever said Sunday was the day of rest obviously didn't have children,” he muttered to himself.

12:15 p.m.

Kurt looked up from his phone where he was making out their grocery list. Blaine and Sophie were across the playground chasing each other and laughing. He looked into the stroller when he heard [Liam](https://www.pinterest.com/pin/324399979381076299/) whining and rolling around. The little boy had fallen asleep while they were walking through the park to the playground so Kurt offered to sit with him while Sophie and Blaine ran off to enjoy the chilly but sunny March day. 

"Hey buddy," he cooed as Liam looked around and pushed the blanket down that Kurt had snuggled him under. "You ready to get up and play a little? Maybe we can go swing or go down the slide, does that sound fun?" 

Liam looked around and let out a whine to be picked up. He'd only been asleep for about forty minutes. He didn't do well with places that weren't his bed and had really only fallen asleep because the stroller was moving. 

Kurt pocketed his phone and reached in to unbuckle him from the stroller. He held the baby against his chest for a few minutes before lifting him in the air to get him to smile. 

"No such luck, huh?" Blaine walked up and asked. He held his arms out and Kurt "airplaned" their son to him. 

"Nope, but I knew he wouldn't be asleep long. It's okay though, it's too nice of a day for him not to get to play a little." 

Blaine nodded as he set Liam on his feet and held his hands to help him walk across the pavement. "He's gonna be doing it by himself soon!" 

Kurt grinned as he held his arms out for Blaine to walk Liam into. "Come on Papa," Blaine sang. "Let's go play a little before we grab some lunch." 

1:36 p.m.

Hummus Kitchen was relatively empty for a Sunday afternoon, with just a few other patrons at tables around the restaurant. A waiter showed them to a corner table right away and they sat down, gratefully taking menus from him. 

"Can we get a _Mazze_ with hummus and pita, stuffed grape leaves, and _majadra_ rice, please...and two ice waters," Kurt asked as Blaine parked the stroller and pulled off Liam's coat. 

"Of course, can I get you two gentleman a glass of wine as well?"

"No, but could I get a double espresso?" Kurt said. 

"Make that two, please," Blaine added as he pulled Liam into his arms and the waiter gave them a knowing smile before nodding and walking away. "I'm gonna go change him. Will you order me a Warm Chickpea Salad and I'll be right back?" 

Kurt nodded as he helped Sophie with her coat and brushed her hair from her face. "Sure." 

Once Blaine had walked away, Kurt opened his menu and set it down on the table for Sophie to see. "Okay monster, what sounds good to you? Oo, you liked the _bureka_ the last time we ate here, do you want that again?"

"Which one is that?" Sophie asked, leaning down to try and sound out letters and words that she knew. 

"It's the pastry pocket, with potatoes and mushrooms and cheese in it? You love mushrooms." 

Sophie nodded and sat back. "Yeah, I liked that. I'll have that." 

Kurt sat back with a quiet thank you as the waiter set down the _Mazze_ plate, two waters and two espressos, as well as four clean stacked plates. After Kurt had ordered their lunch he took a long pull from his water. 

"Do I have a cup, Papa?" 

Kurt looked down and nodded. "Yeah, but Daddy has the bag. You can have a sip of my water until he gets back." 

After helping her with his water glass he loaded up a plate with rice, a few stuffed grape leaves and some pita and hummus. "Here sweetie, I know you're hungry." 

3:17 p.m.

"Okay stinker," Blaine said in the grain aisle of Zabar's. Sophie was standing next to him, looking at a box of sugary cereal her dads would never let her have. "Regular or Honey Nut Cheerios?" 

Sophie grinned as she pointed to the box of Honey Nut and laughed when Blaine tossed it into the cart in front of them. 

"Alright!" Kurt called, walking up to them in the aisle and pushing Liam's stroller. "The Uber with two booster seats will be here in an hour, think we can be done by then?" 

"Oh yeah," Blaine nodded, giving Kurt a significant look as he pointed to where Sophie was staring at the cereal again. 

Kurt nodded as he crouched down to her level. "Hey monster, how about you and me make that brown sugar granola you like so much for breakfast this week? We can make it this afternoon while I'm steaming Liam's vegetables." 

Sophie's face broke out into a smile and she nodded. "Okay!" 

They walked down the aisle to pick out the granola. "He asleep again?" Blaine asked. 

Kurt laughed as he grabbed the bag from the shelf and tossed it into the cart. "I'm pretty sure he was out before we even walked up. It's a little late for another nap, but Sunday is usually a wash as far as his naps go anyway." 

Blaine nodded as he grabbed two packages of their favorite noodles and tossed them in the cart as well. "What else?" 

7:51 p.m.

Kurt giggled as he bounced Liam on his knees, pulling faces to make Liam laugh. He looked over and listened to Blaine and Sophie talking while playing her Memory board game at the table. 

Once they had brought all the groceries up and through the door, Kurt and Sophie had gotten to work in the kitchen while Blaine finished up the laundry Kurt had started the day before. Kurt thawed some vegetable soup to feed the kids for dinner while he cleaned the kitchen and Blaine held Liam while they plunked out a few tunes on the piano.

After the kids had eaten they sat at the table going over Sophie's workbooks and Kurt flipping through some of his books until Liam pulled his attention into the living room where he was playing. 

“I think I’m gonna take him up.” Kurt told them, kissing Liam’s face as they stood up. “Get him started while you two finish your game.” 

Blaine looked over and nodded. “We’ll be up in a few.” 

Kurt bounced Liam on his hip while they walked upstairs. He made sure the gate was secure before setting Liam on the floor to crawl around the hallway while he ran his bathwater. 

Liam splashed and giggled in the tub while Kurt washed and conditioned his hair. He helped him wash himself with a soapy washcloth, taking over when they were done to make sure the little one was clean. Once Liam was sufficiently scrubbed and tubbed, Kurt sat back on his heels a few minutes to let Liam explore his bubbly bathwater and try to squeeze his duck to make it squeak. 

Kurt reached over for the yellow hooded terry towel when he heard Blaine and Sophie on the stairs. “Bathroom’s free,” Kurt called as he carried Liam down the hall to the little boy’s bedroom. 

Blaine nodded, pushing Sophie in to take her shower. 

Kurt hummed quietly as he rubbed lotion into Liam’s skin then dressed him in a blue dino [sleeper](https://www.pinterest.com/pin/47921183508440071/). Blaine came in just as he was snapping the last buttons on the sleeper and set the bottle he had made on the dresser. 

“I’ll finish up with him,” Blaine offered, holding his hands out.

Kurt nodded and kissed Liam’s forehead. “Goodnight sweetheart, sleep well and long.” 

Blaine chuckled as Kurt carefully pulled Liam’s door shut. “Alright Jimmy Jam, how 'bout we rock for a few minutes before your bottle?” Blaine sang softly. Liam buried his face into Blaine’s neck and rubbed his nose against the soft cotton of Blaine’s shirt. Blaine chuckled quietly to himself as he started to sing softly to Liam, only pausing to check the temperature of the bottle and hand it over into the baby’s eager hands. He kept singing and rocking while Liam sucked his whole bottle down, his eyelids drooping a little more with each moment that passed. 

In Sophie's room, Kurt turned down her bed so she could climb into it. He smiled as he tucked her back into her comforter and sat down next to her, pulling the new book she had chosen on Friday at the library. 

Blaine came in just as Kurt started reading. He sat on the other side of Sophie and rested his chin on her head as they both listened to Kurt read their daughter to sleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading!


	11. Chapter 11

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Life is made up of seasons. Some seasons are filled with joy, while others try us in ways we never thought possible. This is the story of Kurt and Blaine, with their amazing friend Mel, making the decision to expand their family, dealing with loss, and learning how to heal together.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There's a very special reason Sophie was invited to the runway show of her Papa's new spring line. This is told mostly from six year old Sophie's POV, with a dash of her almost two year old little brother. 
> 
> Welp, this is it for Part 2! Writing this story...I can't even tell you how much joy it's brought me and how much fun I've had playing in this world. I hope you've fallen as much in love with Sophie and Liam as I have. But we're not quite done yet! Part 3 is currently being written and I'll start posting soon!

Nothing made Sophie feel as grown up as spending time with her Aunt Rachel. Rachel treated her like a little lady, insisted they dress up for their dates, took her to fancy tea rooms with fine china and tiny sandwiches. Rachel always made her feel like a friend, not like a little kid. 

Rachel picked her up that morning and took her to a fancy cafe for breakfast, where they sipped tea from delicate cups and she ate as many scones with cream as she could. After eating, they walked hand in hand back to Rachel and Sam’s building where they met up with Rachel’s stylist, Cami. 

Sophie sat in a tall chair while a woman who smelled like every product her papa had sitting on his vanity table, blew her curly brown hair out with a blow dryer until it was almost straight, before braiding it close to each side of her head, the two braids coming together until they formed a bun of hair at the base of her neck. Cami then pulled a few strands of hair from the front and wrapped them loosely around a curling wand so that they fell in waves to frame her face.

Papa had a rule of no makeup unless it was for a performance, but Rachel just smiled and said, “It’ll be our little secret,” as she dusted some fine powder along her forehead, jawline, and chin, then used just the tiniest amount of blush to highlight her cheekbones. 

“And every girl needs to find the perfect lipstick,” Cami decided as they tried four or five different shades, and Rachel taught her how to “blot” using a tissue. 

“I think that’s the one,” Rachel decided, holding a mirror out for Sophie to check her reflection. 

“It’s just a shade lighter than your lips, and makes your eyes pop beautifully,” Cami explained as Sophie nodded enthusiastically. 

“I’ll tuck a tube of it in my bag so we can touch up later,” Rachel winked as she climbed up in the chair for Cami to start on her hair. 

Sophie sat on the couch and watched as the two women laughed and talked their way through Rachel’s hair and makeup. She stayed as still as possible as not to muss her hair. She crossed her legs like she had seen her dads do. She laughed and giggled when Rachel and Cami included her in their conversation, but mostly she just watched.

Sophie loved to watch people. 

Sometimes when her dads had a date night, she would lay on their bed and watch them get ready. It was like watching a machine. Her daddy shaving in their bathroom, each stroke on his cheeks and chin a deliberate and focused movement. She would watch her papa at his vanity, taking cream and rubbing it into his face, using a tissue to blot away some of the serum that he dotted under his eyes. 

If he had time, he would motion for her and she would walk over to sit on his lap while he would explain what each one did as he rubbed them into her face. She would go to bed that night with the smell of her papa still on her face. 

Watching Rachel was different than watching her papa. Cami looked like she could be coloring. Using each brush and stick to transform color into Rachel’s eyes and cheeks...Sophie was entranced. She couldn't wait until she was old enough to wear makeup all the time. She knew her dads knew how to put it on, her daddy wore it when he was on stage. She couldn't wait until the day when they showed her how to do all the things she would be able to do; watching made her fingers itch for her brushes and easel, a new painting forming in her head already. 

Blaine and Sam arrived just as Rachel went to get dressed and Cami packed up her equipment. 

“Hey monster,” Blaine called, sweeping her into a hug. “You look beautiful, I love your hair.” 

“Thank you, Daddy.” 

Blaine set her back on the floor and held out a dry cleaning bag with her outfit. “Need any help?” he asked as Sam walked by and pretended to muss up her hair. She squealed and ducked, turning around to give him her best glare. 

Sam laughed as he threw his hands up in surrender and backed up into his and Rachel's bedroom to change his clothes as well. 

“No, I can do it,” Sophie assured her dad, walking into the bathroom and shutting the door. She had seen the dress last week when Kurt had done the final fitting to make sure the hem was right and fit her “like a glove” as he had said. 

The [red dress](https://www.pinterest.com/pin/324399979381475307/) was simple, but beautiful and exactly what she and Papa had talked about when they first sat down to sketch the dress. She grinned when she pulled a pair of thick gray flannel knit tights from the bag as well, they were exactly like the pair they had found online and decided on together. 

Once she was all dressed, she called Blaine in to help her zip up and stepped into her sparkly gray ballet flats. 

“Papa and I bought these last weekend when we went shopping with Aunt Mel,” she told him, pointing to the shoes as he folded up the jeans and button up shirt she had put on that morning.

“I love them, sweetie,” he said, smiling as they walked out of the bathroom. Blaine helped her into her coat and wrapped her scarf around her neck so it wouldn't pull on her hair and they were ready to go. 

“Just waiting on Sam,” Rachel grinned, walking from their bedroom and pulling on her gloves. Her eyes sparkled the same way her dads’ did when they were playing with each other. “He needs a few more moments of primping.” 

Blaine sighed and looked at his watch. “Sam Evans, if you aren't out here in thirty seconds we are leaving without you! I will not be late for my husband's big day.” 

“Alright, alright, keep your pants on...I’m ready,” Sam called, walking from their bedroom and pulling on his coat. 

Rachel smiled down at Sophie and took her hand. “Miss Sophia, you look delectable! Gimmie a spin.” 

Sophie giggled as she spun on the spot, holding tight to Rachel’s hand and preening. 

“Good, cause so is the car,” Blaine answered Sam as his phone beeped with a text from the driver. “Let's go,” he declared, opening the door for the ladies to walk out.

******

The big white tent the foursome walked into was bursting with people. People laughing and yelling across the room. People with cameras that flashed every few seconds. People in large big coats with high heels and bright red lipstick. Sophie held tight to her daddy’s hand as he led her down to the long white stage she knew was called a “runway.”

Four seats were reserved for them in the very front row with signs that read _Anderson-Hummel_. 

“Here we are,” Blaine announced, leading Sophie and pointing to where she should sit. He helped her with her scarf and coat, draping them behind her chair as she smoothed out her dress and sat down. Her dad sat on one side, her Aunt Rachel on the other. 

The grown ups talked for a few minutes while Sophie looked around. The runway was bright white and seemed to be lit up from underneath. Nobody in the audience, that she could see, looked familiar...but when she looked up, a big black and white banner read Hummel Designs with a giant H stamped in the middle. 

Sophie grinned. She had seen that logo hundreds of times. It was sewn into the back of the dress she was wearing, and several others she had at home in her closet. “Daddy, look.” Sophie pointed to the large banner that was hanging over what looked like two big open doors, facing each other. “That’s Papa’s sign.” 

Blaine grinned as he kissed the top of her head. He laid his arm around the back of her chair and rubbed his fingertips on her shoulder. “It sure is, monster.” 

Rachel had just set her program down and reached over to take Sam’s hand when the lights flickered, then went down. The room erupted in thunderous applause as two lights beamed on the doors, and Kurt walked out.

“Hey everybody!” he called as the clapping just got louder. Sophie heard Sam whistle and she clapped even harder.

Kurt laughed and waved until the room started to die down enough for him to be heard. 

“Thank you so much for that. Wow! What a way to make a guy feel amazing, nervous, special, and terrified all at the same time!” The room erupted again. This time with laughter amongst the clapping and Sam gave another big whistle. “Thank you so much for coming out today,” Kurt beamed as he put his hand over his heart. “I’ve stood here many times and thanked so many people. My wonderful and amazing husband who I don’t know where I would be in this life without him, my exceptional and supportive friends. My steady as a rock father who taught me everything I know, except anything having absolutely anything to do with fashion in any way shape or form...” The room filled with laughter again as Kurt laughed along and continued. “But did instill in me a hard work ethic and a drive to be the best version of myself.

“But as I came back this year and this collection really started to take shape, I realized something.” Kurt paused and laughed at himself again. “I realized the one thing I never expected to happen, has happened and I have to own up to it. My sappy, goofy, love knows no bounds, dad side has creeped its way into my career. Something I never thought could happen.” 

Laughter bubbled up again as someone sarcastically yelled, “Oh No!” 

Kurt laughed it off. “I know, right!?” he cried and more laughter filled the room. “That part of my life was _never_ supposed to mesh with my career! That ‘Oh my GOD she just threw up on my brand new Marc Jacobs limited edition jacket...I would _murder_ anyone else including my husband, whom I love very much. But oh lord pick him up, why is he throwing up we need to get him to the doctor! Never mind about my jacket right now!’” Kurt paused and put his hand on his hip. “And that’s love, man.” He quipped to more applause and laughter. Kurt paused again, waiting for the laughter to die down and took a step forward. “My beautiful baby girl turned six this year, and she reached this age where clothes become far more of an expression of who she is and who she wants to present to the world, than just what I set out for her to wear that day. She became someone I love to shop with, because her eye is trained for texture and color and how she can make that top she loves, work with the boots she talked me into last week. And it’s not about matching colors or complementing this statement piece, or even what patterns go together...it’s completely and totally about what she loves. What feels good to wear and not what someone told her she should like or want.” 

Kurt smiled and looked to where he knew Blaine and Sophie were sitting, even though he couldn't see them. "When I sat down to start sketching out the beginnings of this collection, I had this picture in my mind of it being a homage to that six year old fashionista in us all. To that wonderful age in between dressing for your parents, and dressing to fit in with your peers. That magical time when you don't care what you look like to anyone else but yourself. That’s how this line got started...over the course of designing, it evolved and grew until I had designed for the woman I want my daughter to grow into. Pieces filled with playful and sinful whimsy. Bright colors and bold daring patterns. Textures and textiles that feel as good as they look. A little _avant-garde_ , of course...because it just wouldn't be me without a little theatricality." The room bubbled up with laughter again as Kurt shimmied his shoulders and winked. The applause rang out as Kurt stepped forward one more time. “An expression of everything I want for my daughter and for yours. For every single woman who wears anything I created. Women who love my clothes just as much as I love designing for them. Any and every type of woman who just wants to feel beautiful and sexy and sure when they dress themselves. This collection began as something I wanted to say, and it turned into something inspired by my daughter, and by yours. And in the end, isn't that what parenting is all about?” Kurt smiled as he shrugged and took a few steps back, holding his hand over his heart once more. “ _Pour mon amour,_ Sophia.” 

The room erupted in applause once more as the lights went down and the music started. 

Sophie didn't really understand what her papa had said, or why her dad and Rachel passed one of her dad’s hankies back and forth and he put his arm back around her chair and kissed the top of her head. But she’d heard him refer to her a few times, and it just made her feel even more grown up. She puffed out her chest, crossed her legs and sat up straight as the lights on the runway came back up and the show started. 

From that point on, Sophie was transfixed. She watched as model after model walked down the runway. Each one dressed more intricate and detailed than the one before. Sophie always knew that her papa designed clothes. He sketched after dinner while they were watching TV. He would sometimes stretch bolts of fabric on their dining room table to cut because it was a little bigger than the work table in his studio. He could make her and her brother whatever he or they wanted. She’d been to his office and watched him demand attention in a way she hoped she will one day be able to do. 

But now, watching all these models walking down in clothes that her papa made, she decided he pretty much had the coolest job in the world. Sophie loved all the outfits, but her absolute favorite was the very last one. It was a bright yellow [dress](http://i0.wp.com/www.fashionisingpictures.net/photoshoots/yellowcouturedress.jpg?w=620), that seemed to be made out of yellow flowers. She stared in wonder as she watched the model walk the beautiful dress down the runway, the dress moving in time with the model walking. Sophie thought that it would make an excellent dress for twirling with just the barest hint of a ruffle at the bottom. She wondered if he would make it in her size. She watched as the model walked down to the end of the runway, turned and started to walk back.

The room absolutely exploded in thunderous applause as each model walked out again, one right after another, with Papa at the end, his arm around the model in the yellow dress. 

_Oh,_ Sophie thought. _I know her, that’s Alexa. She’s been to our apartment a bunch of times._

People started to stand up and clap, and Blaine helped Sophie to stand on her chair. At the end of the runway, Kurt stopped and took a bow. The applause and cheering reached deafening heights as Kurt laughed and took another bow. He blew a kiss to where Sophie and Blaine were standing, before turning and putting his arm back around Alexa to walk the rest of the way back up the runway. 

Rachel wiped her eyes and wrapped her arm around Sophie’s middle where she was standing on her chair. Next to her Sam was clapping and yelling, whistling every few seconds as loud as he could. The room was still booming with applause and cheers, even after Kurt walked off the stage...but after a few minutes he came out again, laughing with his hand over his heart as he took one final bow before backing off the stage for good. 

The room finally started to quiet down as the lights came back up. Blaine took a deep breath and wiped his eyes once more, before turning to Sophie and grinning. 

“Come on monster, let's go backstage and congratulate Papa.” He offered her his hand so she could hop down from the chair, and grabbed their coats. 

Rachel and Sam followed close behind as they walked back into a big room filled to the brim with people and half dressed models. Sophie shrank just a touch. She was not afraid, there was just a lot of people there. She squeezed tight to her Dad's hand, just to make sure they didn’t get separated. Blaine squeezed back just as tight as he scanned the room, his face breaking into a big grin. 

“There he is,” Blaine said, leaning down to pick her up and settle on his hip. 

She was really too big to be held like this. She was six years old and not a baby anymore. But her dads never denied her the feeling of being warm and safe in their arms and, she had to admit, she felt better with her daddy’s arms around her. Plus, now she could see papa as well. 

“I see him,” Sophie cried, nodding. 

Blaine turned around to Sam and Rachel. “We’re gonna go find Kurt, you guys okay?” 

Rachel nodded. “Sure. Here, hand me your coats. I think that’s a coat check over there, and we’ll get some drinks and meet up with you guys in a bit.” 

Blaine smiled and thanked her as he carried Sophie over to where Kurt was being interviewed by a young woman and a camera man. 

“...it’s funny, when you’re young, you take risks because you have to. To get your foot in the door, to make a name for yourself,” he explained, crossing his arms with a smile as the interviewer nodded along. “When you’re an old guy like me, you take risks because you can.” The interviewer and Kurt both started laughing as Kurt kept going. “I can’t tell you how many times I agonized over pieces, how they would be perceived, if they could be turned into marketable and wearable additions to my collection, to my brand. How many times I left pieces out that I loved or put something in that I was only mediocre about...this time I totally went with my gut. Made the decision to go big or go home. I am 1,000% in love with every single thing I put on that runway today. Even if everyone hates everything, I did this line for me, and I love it.”

The interviewer shook her head and brought the recording device back to her mouth as she went on. “I can’t imagine anyone hating it,” she said and Kurt beamed. “There were some absolutely stunning pieces. I really don’t think I could pick a favorite.” 

“Thank you, very much, it means a lot, really,” Kurt replied. “And after taking a step back last year to focus on my family, I really wanted to come back this year with a bang.” 

“Not with a whimper, but with a bang, huh?” she asked, grinning. 

“Exactly, exactly,” Kurt agreed, his eyes lighting up when he spotted Blaine and Sophie walking up. The young woman followed Kurt’s eyes and beamed as Kurt motioned for them to come over. “Hey baby!” Kurt cried as Blaine set her on the ground and she hurried into his arms. He lifted her up and settled her on his hip as well, kissing the side of her head over and over. 

"Oh it's the Tony Award winner, Blaine Anderson!" Blaine blushed and nodded as he walked up beside them and the interviewer dropped her mic when she saw Sophie. "I don't think I've been able to congratulate you in person since last year. Congratulations, I loved the show."

"Thank you. It's still doing very well so, I'm happy." 

"Taking the night off to celebrate your husband?" 

Blaine beamed and nodded, wrapping his arm around Kurt's waist and pulling both he and Sophie close to him. Sophie zoned out for a few minutes while she looked around the room. 

She didn't usually see things from this perspective and watched in wonder as the people hurried around her, still feeling safe in her papa's arms.

“And the famous, Miss Sophia! Can I get a picture of the three of you? Would that be okay?” 

Kurt looked over at his daughter and nuzzled his nose into her cheek for a quick moment. “Totally up to you, honey. You can say no if you don’t want to.” 

Sophie looked around again but nodded her head and said okay. Blaine moved his face in next to hers and the photographer took a few pictures of the three of them, before thanking Kurt and moving on. 

Blaine pulled Kurt into a kiss, murmuring how proud he was of him while Sophie looked away, rolling her eyes. Her dads were always kissing. Kurt grinned at his husband once more as Sam and Rachel walked over with bottles of water in each of their hands. 

Kurt set Sophie down and held her head against his side as Rachel threw her arms around him. “[Wearing](http://www.teenvogue.com/images/prom/dresses/2012/13_runway-satin-dresses.jpg) a Kurt Hummel original, I see,” Kurt laughed, squeezing Rachel extra hard before letting go and sinking into Sam’s welcoming hug as well. 

“Of course!” Rachel assured him with a flip of her long brown hair. “Always.” 

Blaine and Sam passed around the chilled bottles of water and Kurt leaned down to help Sophie with hers. 

“Uh oh,” Sam started. “I see the hounds comin' for you three,” he said, motioning at the reporters and cameras eyeing all of them carefully. 

Blaine pulled Sophie a little closer to him, but Rachel looped her arm in Kurt’s. “I’ll go, I can brag about my friend for hours if I need to,” she declared. “I have the show to promote anyway.” 

Kurt nodded and blew Sophie a kiss. “I’ll be back, monster,” he promised.

"Just make sure not to let go with any other secrets..." Sam trailed off. Rachel winked and tossed her hair at him, nudging Kurt at his questioning look. 

Blaine and Sam led Sophie away from the crowd of people descending on the two of them, and over to where Malerie, Kurt’s assistant and right hand lady, was barking into her headpiece about the proper way to undress and pack all the pieces. 

Over an hour later and Sophie was fading fast. Sam was off talking to a colleague about a shoot they had next week, and Rachel was happily talking the ear off anyone who would listen. She was a trooper and would always bring the conversation back to her friend, but always willing to get a nod and nudge into the interview about her latest project was a skill she was very proud of. 

The room had thinned out considerably, but people were still milling around. Everyone trying to get those last minute words and pictures for the reviews that would come out later in the week with the rest of the reviews for Fashion Week. Malerie had brought Sophie a glass of juice and plate of crackers and cheese from the backstage craft service about thirty minutes ago, but now she was just tired and ready to go. 

“You ready to go home, baby?” Blaine asked. 

He'd been talking to a friend of theirs for the last twenty minutes while Sophie stood at his side, holding tight to his hand and watching as Kurt laughed with yet another reporter, Isabelle on his right with her arm around his waist and laughing along with them. 

She looked up at him and nodded. Blaine laughed and kissed her hand in his. “Okay, let’s go say bye to Papa and we’ll head out.” 

Kurt looked over at where Blaine and Sophie were standing and swiftly put an end to the interview with a graceful yet pointed look. Isabelle walked over with him and said a quick hello to Blaine and Sophie, before telling Kurt she would meet up with him later and kissed his cheek, whispering in his ear something that made him smile and hug her again. 

Sophie waved as Isabelle gave her a smile and walked off. Kurt tucked a stray hair behind Sophie’s ear as he and Blaine started talking. 

“I’m gonna take Soph home,” Blaine said. “I told Grace I would try to be home before six, and she’s been so great this week, I wanna give her the night off.” 

Kurt nodded as he looked at his watch and rubbed his eyes. “Give me like, twenty minutes to check in with Malarie and grab my bag from the back and I’ll go with you. I’m sure most of my models have left, I just wanna make sure everything is packed away and ready to go back to the studio.” 

Blaine shook his head. “No, honey. Stay here, I’m sure there’s an after party or something. You should stay.” 

“No, I wanna go home,” Kurt assured him. “I’ve barely seen Liam all week, and I have to be back on Tuesday for Rage anyway. I need an evening off with my family.” 

Blaine leaned over and gave his husband a quick peck on the lips before nodding his head. “Okay, Soph and I will grab our coats and try to round up Sam and Rachel. We’ll meet you in the car.” 

Kurt kissed the top of Sophie’s head and nodded his head. “Twenty minutes, tops,” he promised, hurrying away. 

It was a little closer to thirty minutes later when Kurt finally opened the back door and climbed into the town car. He dropped his bag and apologized to his husband. 

“It took me a few minutes to find Malarie, and I kept getting pulled into conversations,” he explained as Blaine told the driver to go. “Where are Sam and Rach?” 

“They decided to go for a bite, said they would grab a cab and this one was fading fast.” Blaine explained, motioning to a fast asleep Sophie. Kurt nodded, picking up Sophie’s hand. 

"What's going on with them, do you know?"

Blaine shook his head with a laugh. "Your guess is as good as mine, Sam hasn't told me anything." 

Kurt chuckled as Blaine leaned in to press their lips together. Blaine smiled as he pulled away. “You were spectacular, Kurt.” 

Kurt leaned his head against the headrest and grinned. “Thank you. I was nervous, but I think everything came together in the end.” 

Blaine leaned over and cupped Kurt’s face before brushing their lips together once more, Sophie snoozing between them. 

******

Kurt carried Sophie into their empty apartment and set her on her feet as soon as they were in the door. “Go upstairs, honey,” he told her softly. “Take off your dress and tights and lay them on your bed. I’ll take everything to the cleaners on Monday.” 

Sophie nodded as she groaned and trudged up the stairs. 

Blaine set his phone down on the counter and opened the drawer with all their takeout menus. “Grace said she and Liam will be here in a few minutes. Pizza, Chinese, or Thai?” 

“As much Chinese as one person can carry,” Kurt answered, tugging his tie loose and pointing up the stairs. “I’m gonna go change as well, I’ll be back down with Soph in a few.” 

Blaine nodded as he punched the number into the phone and stared at the menu in his hand. He had just finished ordering more food than the four of them could ever eat in one sitting when Grace and Liam walked through the door. 

“Hey Jellybelly!” Blaine cried as Liam jumped into his arms. 

“HI DADDY!” Liam yelled, squirming around when Blaine tried to kiss him and pull the sunglasses off his face. 

Grace chuckled as she walked in behind him and set the bag she had been carrying on the counter. 

“Did you have fun today?” Blaine asked, finally setting the squirming monkey down. 

“Yep,” Liam answered, nodding. 

“Did you tell Daddy that you picked out your [outfit](https://www.pinterest.com/pin/324399979381854546/) all on your own, and refused to wear a coat?” she asked, holding out the coat she had obviously been fighting with him all day to wear. 

Blaine suppressed a laugh as he looked at his son. “Liam Devon, you know you are supposed to listen to what Gracie says. Why wouldn't you wear your coat?” 

“I was hoooot,” Liam whined. “‘Sides, I had my ‘carf!” he insisted before pointing to his feet. “N’ my boots!” 

Blaine shook his head as he looked over at Grace. 

“I made sure his cardigan was buttoned and his scarf was tight, and he ran around enough that he probably wasn't too cold. But man, he fought me on it at every single turn,” she confessed. 

Blaine nodded that he understood just as Kurt came back downstairs. 

“BAAAA!” Liam cried, tripping over his rain boots as he tried to run into Kurt’s arms. Kurt laughed as he helped him stand up and leaned down to pull him to his hip. 

“Hi baby, how was your day?” he asked, kissing the side of Liam’s head and hugging him tight. 

“We made my cupcakes! Then went for a walk cause I had too much ‘nergy to stay inside!” Liam grinned as Kurt laughed and set him back down on his feet to go annoy his sister who had plopped down on the couch and flipped on the TV. 

Grace finished the bottle of water she had pulled from the fridge and laughed. She showed Kurt the cupcakes she and Liam had baked that morning for his class party the next night, before grabbing her coat and bag and heading out the door. 

Blaine opened his laptop at the table to reply to some e-mails and check up on a few things, while Kurt helped Liam take his boots off before pulling him up into his lap to talk more about his day. 

After they'd eaten dinner and Kurt had finished getting the kids down for the night, he walked back downstairs to find Blaine opening the mail that had been sitting on the piano since Friday morning. 

"You'll never guess what I just opened," Blaine told him with a sigh as he walked into the kitchen. 

"What?" 

Blaine held out a letter stamped with the seal of their building. "Building's going co-op. We gotta figure out what to do in the next six months." 

Kurt groaned as he dropped his head to the counter with a heavy _thunk_. "You have got to be kidding me."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much, for reading! The masterpost with all the extras for the story will be up on my tumblr soon! [Notthatbea](http://notthatbea.tumblr.com/) Come say hi or just talk about the fic with me! I love meeting new people.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading!


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